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Tropic Thunder

(2008, Rated R, Comedy, Starring Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Ben Stiller)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 16.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Showbiz satire is witty, violent, controversial.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Robert Downey Jr.'s character is a Caucasian actor who undergoes a skin-darkening procedure to play an African-American soldier; while in character, his demeanor is purposely stereotypical. There's also a running gag about "retards" regarding Ben Stiller's character's portrayal of a mentally challenged man. Both of these issues are meant to illustrate the movie's theme: that Hollywood is full of self-absorbed prima donnas who need to stop being so insecure and egotistical. There's also finger-pointing at audiences who eat up tabloid fodder and mindless entertainment.
  • Violence:

    At first the blood-and-guts gore is fake (part of the movie-within-a-movie's makeup/special effects), but at a certain point it becomes real. Graphic violence includes a man's body exploding; a menacing young boy (possibly a young teen) toting machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, and handguns; a decapitated head being played with; body parts strewn around; many explosions and close-up shots of G-4 and other explosives; a toddler knifing someone and being comically thrown off a bridge (but surviving), and much more.
  • Sex:

    The men discuss relationships, and one closeted character proclaims he loves "p---y" while another talks crudely about how he'd perform oral sex on the gay man in exchange for help out of a predicament. Other than that, just a quick kiss at the end between an actor and his date.
  • Language:

    Nearly every sentence includes explicit language, with very few exceptions. This is a contender for most on-screen "F" bombs of the year. Along with the constant "f--k"s, "motherf----r," "p---y," "c--k," "c--t," and other hard-R words make several appearances.
  • Consumerism:

    Product placement is mocked with a fake energy drink called "Booty Sweat." Real brands include Diet Coke, Access Hollywood, TiVo (quite prominently), and the Gulfstream V jet.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    A major subplot involves a heroin processing plant; a character is a heroin addict; various characters drink and smoke.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Tropic Thunder

Parents need to know that this hard-R action comedy starring kid favorites Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and (thanks to Iron Man) Robert Downey Jr. is really a satirical send-up of Hollywood culture -- from the stereotypical castes of actors and greedy studio heads to celeb-obsessed TV shows. Much has been made of some of the movie's more controversial sources of humor, including having Downey darken his skin to play an African-American character and a running gag about a mentally challenged man played by Stiller's character. It's all meant to drive home the movie's points about Hollywood, but you may need to explain that to teens. There's also a lot of gory violence (both fake and realistic) -- including a 12-year-old drug lord who's scary and good with weapons -- as well as enough swear words to make Quentin Tarantino blush. Drugs (use and manufacture) are part of a significant subplot, but there are basically no women in the film, so there's only brief mention of sex.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about satire. Do teens get that everything in the movie is satirizing formulaic Hollywood blockbusters, insecure actors, mindless celebrity gossip shows, etc.? What do they think about Downey playing an African American? Funny? Offensive? How is it different than the now-unacceptable practice of white actors performing in blackface for minstrel shows? And what about the "retard" characterizations? Ask your teens whether they thought it was amusing or off-putting, and see if they can explain their point of view. It will help them see the material critically. How does the movie-within-a-movie allow the filmmakers to poke fun at the film industry?

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Our Members Say

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See all 38 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title off for age 15 and give it 2.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative role models

    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    for those old enogh to drive to the therater

    below average

  2. I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language
    • Excessive consumerism
    • Negative message

    Great actors, great laughs

    This movie is really funny!

  3. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Connecticut
    I rate this title off for age 15 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message

    so funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    i love this movie, it earned it's r rating for a reasom but i think it's nothing your kid can't handle, as long as he wont imatate. i never do, 63 f words will be bad if your children imatate movies. trust me 63, you count them.

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Virginia
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    Stupid, very funny movie for older teens

    Yes there was very strong lanugage throughout, but the movie made me laugh hysterically. The opening is genius, and the plot itself is a little confusing, but if you talk it over with a friend, you're good. RDJ was excellent, and Ben Stiller and Jack Black were great too. NOT....FOR...KIDS. I'd just like to make that clear.

  5. I rate this title on for age 15 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative role models

    funny only for teens and adults 15 and over

    i loved the movie but the truth is that for you familys out there with smaller kids dont let them see the movie 15 and over

  6. I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative role models

    Hilarious movie, definetely not for young teens e.g 10-13. Great how they made Tom Cruise actually act well in this movie, and I love how they changed Downey Junior into a black guy, I couldn't recognise him! Good film.

  7. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    omg

    i loved this movie. it was freakin hilarious!! language was horrible but tom cruise as a fat hairy guy?! wtf?! XD

  8. I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    haha

    Very funny

  9. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    Lives in Missouri
    I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative role models

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    booty sweat

    its a good movie

  10. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title iffy for age 16 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

    Hilarious, Graphic Fun!

    I love this movie. It's hilarious. The preformances were awesome (especially Downey Jr.; well done; and I would've rated it the best preformance of 2008 if it weren't for Ledger's Joker) and the humor was hysterical! Perants: the violence is surpisingly graphic for a comedy; lots of blood, guts, and people being blown up/apart. A man's head is seen, a character's guts are spilled out, etc. Very funny, very raunchy, and very violent; I loved it!

  11. I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 4.0

    Funny movie~

    It was pretty funny; good enough to watch twice. (although it's not as funny the second time) It was full of dark humor, some parts were slightly disturbing. It was a very entertaining movie, I'll probably watch it again, again. It's not something someone under the age of 13 should watch; lots of violence, language, and a young boy selling illegal drugs.

  12. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    The Best!!

    I Loved this movie. I saw it on DVD and i watched it over and over!!! Robert Downey Jr. was hilarious!!!

  13. I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

  14. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    Mainly just bad foul language but other then that it made me laugh my guts out

  15. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Virginia
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    Laugh it up

    this is perfect for any theen or tween, i saw it when iwas twelve and it is perfect because they have heard all the referances at school so its totally fine

  16. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in California
    I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 4.0

    this movie is funny as hell

    a very smart idea to put fake trailers in the beginning of the movie. this movie has funny humor and really violent scenes that are funny. this movie is the funniest movie of 2008

  17. I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    The Funniest movie of 2008

    Tropic Thunder is an ironic, witty, satirical, and downright hilarious movie that makes fun of everthing from prima donnas in hollywood, overuse of sequels, and just the movie business itself. This movie is also filled with perfect writing, and it is probably one of the most quotable movies i have ever seen. Every character in this movie is also hilarious from RDJ's performance as Kirk Lazarus who won't drop out of character, Ben Stiller as the actor who just can't stop acting in flops, Jack Black as the slapstick comedy star with drug problems, Brandon T. Jackson as Alpa Chino, who has an energy drink called 'booty sweat' and an energy bar called 'bust a nut", and Jay Baruchel as Kevin Sandusky, he has some funny lines but he doesn't really stand out as a huge, rich character, he just knows a lot about blu-ray vs hd dvd. Anyways, Tropic Thunder is simply hilarious from the main performances and even Danny MCbride, and Tom Cruise are hilarious in their small roles, and you are going to laugh no matter what.

  18. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title on for age 9 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    F the R rating

    This movie is MEANT for kids. Adults don't get or appreciate half the movie.

  19. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Utah
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0

    Tropic Thunder has great characters.

    Tropic Thunder is one of the best comedies of 2008 because ben stiller has been having a few rough patches in movies and this one was his real spark. A great comedy.

  20. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Missouri
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    An amazing comedy epic!

    I'm 14, and a big Ben Stiller fan, this film is an epic! It's funny, witty, and comicly violent! The humor and language are a little mature, but kids hear twice as bad out of friends and parents! The violence is not at all realistic, and there is no nudity, even in the directors cut, which I own.

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