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.
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Tropic Thunder
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 16. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Showbiz satire is witty, violent, controversial.
updated 11.17.08
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 16–18
What to watch out for
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Violence :
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Sex :
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
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.
Read our full review by Sandie Angulo Chen
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
See all 22 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give itMy concerns are:- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
The Funniest movie of 2008
Lives in MassachusettsI rate this title on for age 9 and give it- My highlights are:
- Good role models
F the R rating
This movie is MEANT for kids. Adults don't get or appreciate half the movie.
- Lives in UtahI rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
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.
- Lives in MissouriI rate this title on for age 14 and give itMy 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.
Lives in TennesseeI rate this title off for age 17 and give itMy concerns are:- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
This film needs to clean up its act
This is the dirtiest film (outside of Team America World Police) I have ever seen. Is it funny? Sort of. It is Clever? Sometimes. Is it appropriate for anyone under the age of 17? NO! If you can think of a cuss word, in the first ten minutes of the film they probably use it. Is there nudity, yes, Stillers agent flips through a pornographic book while talking to stiller, and quite a few other things. Even I felt dirty after watching it. Personally, this film shouldn't be seen by anyone under the age of 21. A 2 out of 5
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Our Members Rate It
Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking |
| 100% | of parents say it's too violent |
| 100% | of parents say it has language their kids can't use |
| 75% | of parents don't think the messages are positive |
| 75% | of parents say the sexual behavior isn't age appropriate |
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