Discuss: Tom Cruise is Freakin' Hilarious in 'Tropic Thunder'
Self-serious superstar Tom Cruise pops up (nearly unrecognizably) in a supporting role in Ben Stiller's new comedy Tropic Thunder. Not much has been made of the performance in the press, but I for one think it represents a brilliant new land of opportunity for Mr. Cruise. Nothing makes a guy 'accessible' like a foul-mouthed and very funny performance in a surprisingly good comedy -- and all of those things apply here. I've always been pretty ambivalent about Tom Cruise -- I think he's an underrated actor and an overrated movie star -- but this is the first time he really "amazed" me since his shockingly raunchy (and quite excellent) performance in Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia.At first I didn't even recognize Cruise in the film. I'd heard it mentioned that the actor had a supporting part in the flick, but I suppose I'd forgotten about it. When Cruise's character (a sleazy studio head called Les Grossman) first appeared on-screen, I was just sure it was a character actor named Enrico Colantoni. Not only because of the shocking resemblance -- but mainly because the guy playing the studio chief is drop-dead freakin' hilarious. The fact that I mistook Tom Cruise for Enrico Colantoni is a rather large compliment -- to Tom Cruise.
Coated with a bald-cap, a fat suit, and a thicket of wiry arm hair, Cruise powers through his scenes (mostly with Bill Hader and Matthew McConaughey) with tons of vulgarity, strangeness, and dancing. Yes, dancing. Frankly we've never seen Tom Cruise let his hair down in this wacky a fashion, and I'd like to thank Ben Stiller for making it happen. (When he's just an actor, Stiller's output can be distressingly inconsistent, but as a writer / director he's simply a lot more reliable. And infinitely funnier.)
So that's the discussion point for today: What did you think of Tom Cruise's work in Tropic Thunder? I'd see the flick again just for his X-rated telephone tirades. Bonus Topic: As amusing is he is, Cruise isn't even the funniest guy in the flick. That honor would go to Robert Downey Jr., who has earned himself one stellar summer of redemption. Good for you, Rob!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
8-17-2008 @ 12:46PM
Chad said...
Not much has been made of the performance in the press? Are you kidding? They are having a field day with it.
I myself thought it was embarrassing, much more so than anything he ever could have done on Oprah's couch. And I love Tom Cruise.
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8-17-2008 @ 1:02PM
Robin said...
Funny, Chad, I was wildly amused and a little creeped out by it. I thought it was great, though. And I don't like Tom Cruise.
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8-17-2008 @ 1:10PM
Smartguy said...
Tom's performance was absolutely hilarious and I am sure that he went into the role with a bit of familiarity with the character.
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8-17-2008 @ 1:34PM
jake said...
Tom Cruise is a great actor and he was hliarious in Tropic thunder -- in fact, he Downey Jr and McConaughey are the only good things in the movie.
I myself preferred Pineapple Express which was HILARIOUS.
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8-17-2008 @ 1:39PM
Peter Hall said...
I think the role was the absolute best career move the man could have made at this point. It reminded average laughing Joe that Tom Cruise works wonders on the big screen, that the guy isn't just a Scientology wackjob.
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8-17-2008 @ 1:43PM
Jack K. said...
He was really funny in Tropic Thunder but he was waaaaay funnier in Magnolia and that performance was just better because there were also really serious elements to it.
"If that dog comes near me I am going to fucking drop kick it."
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8-17-2008 @ 2:19PM
Joe said...
What is funny about constantly saying "Go f yourself?" What is funny about a white dude in a fat suit dancing to hip-hop in 2008?
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9-06-2008 @ 4:24PM
Jackie said...
I think what was so funny about about a white guy in a fat suit (how you put it) is not so much that he's a white guy but that he's Tom Cruise whose considered a serious actor. He never does a part that would make him look like less than a hero (in the past). I felt that he was an actor that is really good but really didn't have much personality in the past. This just opened a new door for him I believe. Whereas his last few films flopped, people see a new side that he is willing to take some chance roles and can be funny. I couldn't stop laughing. The whole movie was great in my opinion and everyone had some pretty funny lines. I was just surprised to see Tom Cruise dancing and listening to some unedited rap music, dancing on beat. Funny stuff.
8-17-2008 @ 2:33PM
YouFaceTheTick said...
He was horrible. He took what could have been a funny character and Cruised-it. His inability to change his voice and body language resulted in every scene feeling like Tom Cruise in an old-guy-suit. Put a real character actor in the sequences and it would have been funny. With Cruise it's just a star reminding the world he has zero range....he can only be himself.
The movie suffered because of his presence.
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8-17-2008 @ 2:46PM
Laura said...
I thought he was FUNNY! I didn't realize it was him until halfway through the movie...I didn't know he could dance like that!!!!
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8-17-2008 @ 3:40PM
Matt said...
I still won't see it just because that freaking psycho is in it.
If you ignore him, he will go away
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8-17-2008 @ 3:54PM
AJ Wiley said...
I thought the movie as a whole was disappointing, but Tom Cruise was brilliant. He was absolutely hilarious, and definitely the best part of the movie (even better than Robert Downey Jr.'s sadly overhyped Kirk Lazarus). Exactly the right thing for him to have done to try and get his career back on track.
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8-17-2008 @ 4:04PM
Bryan Price said...
Black's declaration of what he would do to get untied was the top of the film. I won't give it away anymore than that, because that's too good a spoiler.
And Cruise's little dance at the end had me rolling as well.
And I definitely think his character was based on a real person, whether as written or as Cruise interpreted it.
And I don't care for the man myself because of his antics.
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8-17-2008 @ 4:07PM
LordPaul said...
^^^^^ some people take famous people far too seriously!!!
Not seen it yet, but intend to when it comes out.
I never minded Tom Cruise, and still don't - but I'm able to separate a good actor from a media target (I don't read those sort of magazines) so maybe I'm lucky like that.
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8-17-2008 @ 4:07PM
John S said...
I thought it was over-hyped, myself. His dance was nothing special. And personally, I am so tired of white guys doing hip hop to "look cool". It's lame.
What really surprised me is that you think he looks like Veronica Mars dad. What an insult to a fine actor.
The next role Cruise should sign up for is a Batman villain. He's good at playing crazy.
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8-17-2008 @ 5:55PM
Gary said...
I think you need to go back and re-read another article on Tropic Thunder. It was about idiots who don't get satire.
The whole point of this scene is poking fun at white guys who do use hop hop as a way of looking cool, they agree with you. Jeez, it really ain't that difficult.
You should try and get this movie banned for being offensive to blacks.
8-17-2008 @ 4:36PM
Slappy said...
I liked Tropic Thunder a lot, but, I found Tom Cruise's character to be incredibly grating.
There seemed to be far too much of a "wink, wink, look at me, I'm Tom Cruise being naughty" thing going on.
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8-17-2008 @ 5:01PM
Peter C. Krieger said...
I saw and thoroughly enjoyed 'Tropic Thunder.'
I knew it was Tom Cruise right away because I read that he has a 'cameo' and was barely recognizable.
I thought that he was a scream, parodying some studio exec; the portrayal was enough to make me wonder just who is he aping? And did that person see the portrayal? What was the reaction? Did s/he have any input?
Oh, and to the poster of the following:
'And personally, I am so tired of white guys doing hip hop to "look cool". It's lame.'
I think that's the intent > not as lame as Karl Rove and other republicans rapping (look it up on YouTube > it will make you cringe) > but a testament to the target's ego.
Either he was laughing hysterically, or he went into a fiery tirade against Cruise for the portrayal. I hope that makes it to the DVD so RDjr, can drop character.
-PK
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8-17-2008 @ 5:07PM
RJ said...
Cruise was doing a Simple Jack. It was a self-indulgent role where he didn't have to interact with anyone. His fat suit and body hair and skull cap were his wheelchair, so to speak. His character, like Dustin Hoffman in Rainman, isn't affected by anyone around him.
Funny how a movie that makes fun of those solipsistic roles can still provide one for a fading star to sink his gleaming teeth into.
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8-17-2008 @ 6:52PM
YouFaceTheTick said...
Your post about Cruise trying to use his fat suit is right on the money. It was sloppy, poorly done and the weakest part of the film. I'm not even a Black fan but i'll take his bit tied to a tree over anything Cruise did in the whole film.