"I don't read the script. The script reads me."

How does one approach comedy from a critical standpoint? It is the most critic proof genre there is because everyone has a different sense of humor. So when looking at a film that is a total farce and taking a critical stance one must look beyond the jokes. If all that's there is a vast emptiness than the jokes will generally ring hollow, but when you look past the jokes and find something of substance to place the jokes onto, therein lies the secret to comedic masterpiece.

Ben Stiller is no stranger to great comedy. His work in films like There's Something About Mary, Zoolander, Meet The Parents, and the great Ben Stiller Show prove that he has a real knack for playing the lovable shlub that we can root for. He is Charlie Chaplin's tramp in a new form, slightly more buff. With his latest starring and directorial effort Stiller brings it to an entirely new level.

Tropic Thunder is a Hollywood satire starring Robert Downey Jr, Jack Black, Steve Coogan and of course Mr. Stiller. It follows the stars as they star in a movie called Tropic Thunder based on a book of the same name. Coogan, who is directing them, has realized he cannot control them and follows the advice of a hilariously over the top Nick Nolte and puts them "into the shit". Things go awry and when the actors think they are still being filmed, they are actually under attack and in real danger from a terrorist drug running group from Lao ran by a little boy.
It's a pretty absurd plot, and I did a terrible job of truly describing it, but it's no easy thing to do with this film. That's not to say that the plot is convoluted or messy. I actually think it flows along quite well and uses all the characters and jokes to it's advantage.

The true star of this film is obviously Robert Downey Jr. His portrayal of Australian method actor Kirk Lazarus getting his skin colored to play the troops black sergeant is this films greatest achievement. Honestly, I was lost in his performance. Both as a black man and Australian, he isn't Robert Downey Jr, but he actually is these characters. Before I had always thought he was good, but really just playing himself. This film really proves his outstanding acting ability. It's obvious he is making fun of method actors who take it a little too far, but it's kind of interesting to see how far he is actually taking it himself. Not to mention the discussion that can be brought up out of the idea of a white man playing a black man.

This film really hits all it's marks when Downey is on the screen, but he isn't stealing the whole show here. We get a whole slew of great guest appearances from Hollywood that aren't really expected. From Tom Cruise, to Matthew McConaughey, to Tobey McGuire we are spearheaded with Hollywood A-Lister's seemingly lampooning themselves.

The films satire is rich and biting for the most part, but they head over into broad comedy land a little too much for my liking. Stiller wants to have his cake and eat it too. He wants to be able to make fun of Eddie Murphy for his flatulence laced family films while at the same time being them. This isn't to say I didn't laugh a lot. This is some of the most laughs I have had all summer, maybe even all year. But with what Stiller was trying to accomplish the film does fall a little short.

There are some really great moments that reach a peak and then hit a mark that just isn't very funny, sometimes stopped dead in their tracks. One such moment is when Kirk Lazarus is talking to the group about having someone back home. In this hilarious, and honest scene, we get a joke about a character being gay. It falls flat on its face. But I will say I thought it was saved in the end by a nice monologue by a tied up Jack Black.

The films peaks are much higher than its lowest spots and that's definitely a good thing. Just watch out for a dancing Tom Cruise, which seems to be in the vein of Date Movie.

Tropic Thunder is probably Ben Stiller's best directorial effort. Here's to hoping his next one is even better!

Huey Lewis Can Do No Wrong

Back in 1985 Robert Zemeckis directed a delightful little film, you may have heard of it, it was about a boy who through a friend and mentor becomes entangled in all this time travel stuff. Anyways, that movie, if you haven't already guessed, is Back To The Future and the reason I bring it up is because of it's theme song, Back In Time by Huey Lewis and the News. The film was sky rocketed into American pop culture and carried the song with it. 23 years later Judd Apatow is producing a comedy with yet another Huey Lewis theme starring the new king of comedy Seth Rogen and his former short lived television co-star James Franco. The film is, as I am sure you already know, Pineapple Express. But the question that might be lingering on every one's mind, is it funny?

I can answer such a question with a yes and a no but let me first explain it a little. If you have seen the trailers, which have been playing for something like a year now, you know it is unapologetically a stoner movie. It doesn't try to hide that fact. Something it isn't though is a stupid movie. I would say it uses some cliche but only to it's advantage. The films director, indie god David Gordon Green (Snow Angels, All The Real Girls), does a great job making this film stand out amongst all the Dude, Where's My Car and Harold and Kumar type movies.

The film is essentially a buddy/action/chase movie. Dale Denton(Seth Rogen) witnesses a murder and drops his weed at the scene. While trying to get away he makes a big ruckus and the murderer/drug lord sees that he saw them commit the murder and is able to trace the weed back to Saul(James Franco). This leads to a chase and we go along for the ride.

Now back to the "is it funny?" question. The reason for my saying yes and no is because it is funny, but it isn't the type of funny you expect from these guys, well not totally. Yes they do offer up jokes filled with expletives and jokes about being high, but the film isn't riddled with such jokes. Every joke actually shows you a bit of the character and if it isn't exactly pushing the plot forward it is at least bringing you into what each character is going through.

I would say it is kind of separated into two halves. The first half we are introduced to the characters. We meet Dale, Saul, Red(Danny McBride), and Angie, Dale's 18 year high school girlfriend. They have funny banter, but it isn't exactly laugh-out-loud, burst a spleen funny. It just kind of makes you smile as some subtle and most not so subtle jokes are thrown about left and right. You may giggle or nod your head as to say, "heh, I get it" but rarely do you laugh as hard as you might in other Judd Apatow vehicles such as Superbad, Knocked Up, or The 40 Year Old Virgin. This isn't to say that those movies are unequivocally funnier, what it is saying is that David Gordon Green definitely played his hand in this film. If you have seen any of his other films, they are mainly dramas, but they are interspersed with wonderful bits of humor throughout. I can see all the actors pretending they are just talking and the humor just comes from what the characters are saying, there are rarely any punchlines.
The second half is more action oriented but it gave me more laugh-out-loud moments. The action is well paced and has a certain sense of humor to it all, especially in a fight between Dale Denton and Ted Jones(Gary Cole). They fight, but in a more realistic sense, they bite each other, pinch each other, anything to get ahead. You can tell that these guys don't often get into fist fights, especially on Denton's part. Sometimes the action goes over the top, but it wasn't so much that it took me out of the story, although I will say that it was on the brink.

Along the way we get some spoofing of action films but not in your face spoofing(Ala Date Movie, Meet The Spartans) just a few jabs here and there. You can tell that the cast and David Gordon Green had a lot of fun and the fun seems to comes through into the characters.

Now, although I definitely enjoyed this film for it's Knocked Up meets Lethal Weapon humor I will say it did have it's set backs. Some people say the beginning is a little slow paced and boring, others say that the second half is too over the top, I don't happen to agree with either of those opinions. To me the flaws lie in some of the characters. Rosie Perez plays a bad cop in this and while I really dislike Rosie Perez I think she was pretty much wasted in this role, there is nothing to it and it could have just as easily been cut out. The only reason it is in there is to have a bad cop or a dirty cop I guess, but it wasn't really needed. Gary Cole on the other hand, while his character was definitely needed, seems to play it totally straight. Which I understand he needs to being a villain and all but he just seems to be to serious for this movie. Not only is he serious but he lacks anything compelling whatsoever. He is a terrible villain. If he were at least more compelling to watch maybe he would be a more interesting character, but as is he just falls flat on the screen(save for the Rogen/Cole fight scene).

When the third act is coming full force it seems that Green decided he wanted to lose some characters, and while I thought the way he does so is funny, it seems to happen a little too quickly. Almost anytime a character dies, or leaves the story it just seems very abrupt.

Despite it's flaws I do think this is a hit for the Apatow clan(yet again) and the choice of director was a wonderful addition. Tim Orr's cinematography is perfect for the film and really nice on the eyes, he has been the DP for all of David Gordon Green's films to date.

The last thing I am sure most people want to see is another stoner comedy or maybe for a lot of people another Apatow comedy, but really this movie just made me smile the whole way through.