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Tropic Thunder

2008Runtime unavailableComedyActionWar

Movie details, ratings, and The Rewatchables episode for Tropic Thunder.

On the mic
Tropic Thunder2008
RT CRITICS82
RT AUDIENCE71
METACRITIC71
Directed byBen StillerMovie director
On the mic
RT critics82%Tomatometer
RT audience71%Popcornmeter
Metacritic71Critic score

MAKE IT A MOVIE NIGHT

Where to watch

UNITED STATES

Checking where Tropic Thunder is available…

THE POD'S PICKS

Episode awards

See who or what the hosts picked for each award.

18award categories
EPISODE 449

Tropic Thunder

17 picked · 1 without a winner

Who won the movie?

Picked on the show

Robert Downey Jr.

The hosts unanimously treat Downey as the clear winner of the movie.

~ 1:36:00

Most rewatchable scene

Likely pick

the Access Hollywood trailer sequence

The hosts settle on the opening fake trailers as the scene they most want to revisit, while also praising the Simple Jack discussion.

~ 1:04:00Runner-up: Kirk Lazarus and Tugg Speedman discussing Simple Jack

What’s aged the best?

Likely pick

Les Grossman as a portrait of Hollywood executive culture

They conclude that the Les Grossman material and the film’s Hollywood satire have held up especially well.

~ 1:04:00Runner-up: the Google/YouTube-era satire and the stacked cast still being on top

Apex Mountain

Likely pick

Robert Downey Jr.

They treat Downey as the strongest Apex Mountain candidate, while Cruise is also discussed as a possible peak.

~ 1:32:00Runner-up: Tom Cruise
Show every award14 more, in episode order

What’s the most 2008 thing about this movie?

Picked on the show

TiVo

After listing several dated details, they agree that TiVo is the most 2008 element in the movie.

~ 1:04:00Runner-up: the original iPod and HD DVD/Blu-ray format-war talk

What’s aged the worst?

Likely pick

the movie’s third act/action material

They say the film’s back half gets weaker and the action sections are the least durable part of the movie.

~ 1:22:40Runner-up: the Simple Jack website and related backlash-era marketing

The Floyd Gondoli, butter on my ass and lollipops in my mouth award for something I just enjoy

Picked on the show

Booty Sweat

The room gives the award to the recurring Booty Sweat joke because it still works for them every time.

~ 1:24:00Runner-up: the fake movie trailers

Brock Landers Award for best character name

Picked on the show

Al Pacino

They pick Al Pacino as the best character name, with Kirk Lazarus and Rob Slolom mentioned as alternatives.

~ 1:24:00Runner-up: Kirk Lazarus

Coach Finstock / Mr. Miyagi award for best worst life lesson

Picked on the show

Porn sets the tone for everything / porn leads the way

The hosts lock onto the movie’s porn-format argument as the most memorable ridiculous lesson.

~ 1:24:00

Weak link

Likely pick

Jack Black

One host calls Jack Black the weak link because his performance pulls attention away from the best parts, though Ben Stiller is also criticized.

~ 1:24:00Runner-up: Ben Stiller

What saves the worst?

Likely pick

the film’s willingness to take huge comedic swings

They argue the movie survives because it commits to giant comedy risks rather than playing it safe.

~ 1:28:00

Hottest take

Picked on the show

the film’s blackface controversy doesn’t offend them in this specific movie

Two hosts say the material doesn’t bother them here because the performance is so strong and the satire is doing real work.

~ 1:28:00Runner-up: switching some of the cast, especially Hader and others

Recasting couch

Picked on the show

Bill Hader in place of Jack Black

One host proposes swapping actors, with Bill Hader for Jack Black as the clearest recast idea.

~ 1:28:00Runner-up: Matthew McConaughey remaining as Rick Peck while other roles shift

Dion Waiters

No winner

No clear winner

They start a Dion-style discussion about Les Grossman but do not land on a separate clear Dion winner before moving on.

~ 1:32:00

Half-assed internet research

Likely pick

Rick Baker

The research segment circles around the makeup and effects team, with Rick Baker named and Stan Winston discussed as the closest comparator.

~ 1:32:00Runner-up: Stan Winston

Nit-pick

Picked on the show

Kirk Lazarus having more Oscars than Hepburn and Daniel Day-Lewis

They joke about the absurd Oscar count for Kirk Lazarus and also note that Four Leaf probably should have died.

~ 1:32:00Runner-up: Four Leaf surviving the whole movie

What TV area?

Likely pick

TiVo / DVR-era home TV culture

They identify the movie as a capsule of TiVo-era home viewing and other now-dated devices.

~ 1:32:00Runner-up: Bluetooth headsets and BlackBerries

Double feature

Picked on the show

Step Brothers

For the paired watch, one host picks Step Brothers while another suggests a Ben Stiller satire like Zoolander.

~ 1:36:00Runner-up: Zoolander

About these picks Winners come from the episode transcript. Timestamps may be a little off.

WHAT TO WATCH NEXT

Movies to watch before and after.

Three movies to watch before Tropic Thunder, and three to watch next.

Finding six movies…Three to watch first and three to watch next.
Includes a Rewatchables episodePosters from TMDB.

YOUR LIST

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THE PODCAST

The Rewatchables episode