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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.

updated 11.17.08

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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  • What did you think about Tropic Thunder?
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See all 22 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Massachusetts
    Kids ages: 15, 15
    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.

  2. 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.

    • Teen Reviewer
      Age 14
      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.

    • Teen Reviewer
      Age 13
      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.

    • Adult Reviewer
      Lives in Tennessee
      I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 2.0
      My concerns are:
      • Excessive violence
      • Inappropriate sexual content
      • Inappropriate language
      • Excessive consumerism
      • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
      • Negative message

      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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