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.
Positive 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.
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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
Positive was send-up of Hollywood. Other than that it is too violent, crude and too much drugs. I'd say it's not appropriate at any age. One of the few films I'm truly sorry I watched - and I didn't even pay anything to see it!
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!
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.
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.
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.
I think this movie was Hilarious! I watched it 5 times and still fell off my seat laughing eachtime. I think this film would be innapropiate for children under the age 16. There is alot of graphic viloence and there is also alot of cursing. I would deffinitly remmomend this to anyone with a sick sense of humor. I also feel that everyone made a big deal out of nothing with the whole "retard" situation. I was iffy about watching this movie because I have a disabled child,but I was not offended at all. It is a great movie to sit down and watch to get a good hard laugh!
Tropic Thunder was a kind of funny movie with a pointless hour. A waste of meny in theaters. I rent it and rewatch it 6 times in 2 weeks and fell in love. It is smart,violent,mouthy, and overall hilarious the humor in this is incredible and the best Comedy of 2008.
The CM review sure nailed it on the language part: Pretty much every sentence has an R-rated word with very few exceptions. Undoubtedly F*** is every characters favorite word. It is used as an adjective, a verb, a noun, and a adverb; sometimes all in the same line. Someone wishing to conduct a study on the word F*** would probably find this movie very helpful--not only would it give them hundreds of chances to hear it spoken by several different caricatures, but it might numb their minds so much that even after the movie ends F*** continues ringing in their ears until they fall asleep, then they dream about it until the next morning when they wake up and continue.
I can normally forgive profanity if it is justified or funny, but here it is neither. After the positive response from critics I was surprised to watch this and find how very unfunny it was. The fake commercials at the beginning weren't amusing in the slightest-why does everyone think they're clever? LOL THEY MAKE FUN OF OTHER MOVIES. So? I've seen that before, without the profanity.
The CM missed something in the sex/nudity area. One of the contacts briefly looks through a porn book while talking on the phone, and you get close-up on it as he flips through it. It was disgusting and unnecessary.
I am convinced this movie is for 10 year-olds. That is the only thing I can make of it. Why put juvenile flatulence humor in a movie for "adults"? To make the 10 year-olds who will watch laugh. Who will giggle everytime they hear the F*** word? 10 year-olds who watch this movie and think they're cool. There are a few laughs to be had but I think this is a dumb and crass movie and will not recommend it.
Soooooooo funny but for older kids lots of disscussions about sex, at least one swear word every thirty seconds and its violent.
My favorite part was the booty sweat
Very toungue in cheek film where the point is to be mocking self-absorbed actors. Violence is mainly done in a humerous sense. Sex isn't really a problem, aside from the booty shaking in the initial scene of the movie, which is an advertisement for the drink "booty sweat". Only major problem is swearing. Hilarious movie.
Sexual humor, constant language, bloody violence, illegal drugs, all sorts of lying, and forgiving others: head in this movie about a movie, "Tropic Thunder".
Doesn't matter about profanity anymore kids swear all the time, in school. everywhere even behind your back sometimes great movie. As long as you can laugh you can watch this
Gore & Blood - Plenty but this ain't as bad as what you see in the news, that's the real stuff..
Profanity - Like I said before profanity Isn't a concern anymore
Sexual Content - None except a guy talking about a vagina and another talking about oral sex
Rating - I'd give it a 17 out of a 20
some intense funny violence, crude sexual humor (i love tha p***y), non-stop profanity (next to 8 Mile, the most f-words i've ever heard in a movie(100+)), and drug content (Jack Black is a drug addict, you can see cocaine and heroin, but no one does them). However, i LOVE this movie and it's one of my favorite movies ever. Great for teens.