Movies directed by Ben Stiller, or starring him for that matter, have always been a joy to watch. Whether its Reality Bites (1994), The Cable Guy (1996), or Zoolander (2001), the stories innocently poke fun at the film industry and Hollywood. His latest release Tropic Thunder is now his witty parody on the same subjects, but with much more hilarious punches.

Following suit of Quentin Tarantino’s Grindhouse (2007), the movie begins with fictional trailers to introduce each “actor” playing in the upcoming Tropic Thunder. The first trailer stars Tug Speedman (Ben Stiller) in another addition to his popular action character Scorcher in Scorcher VI. Then there’s John Portnoy (Jack Black from The School of Rock [2003]), a comedic actor known for his multiple roles in The Fatties. Also a great addition to the Tropic Thunder cast is Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr. from Iron Man [2008]), an Australian Oscar winner starring in the controversial drama Satan’s Alley.

All three actors join together to film Tropic Thunder, a big-budget action film based on the best-selling Vietnam memoir of veteran John “Four Leaf” Tayback (Nick Nolte). But when prima donna Speedman refuses to cry on cue for an emotional scene, $40 million worth of special effects is wasted. The director decides to place the actors into “real” turmoil in the jungles of Vietnam to help them create a realistic performance. But while the actors remain under the delusion they are still being filmed, they encounter druglords in the middle of a heroin operation.

This premise slightly reminded me of Three Amigos! (1986), a classic comedy I grew up with as a child. The idea of actors believing they’re being filmed even when there’s no crew around is so ridiculous, it’s mind-blowing to watch how delusional these people can be. In Tropic Thunder, even after one of the characters are blown into pieces, Speedman continues to believe it’s all just special effects. He starts to mockingly play with a detached head, convinced it’s a prop. As a result, his onlookers the druglords believe that Speedman is insane and without a fear for death.

But the plot for Tropic Thunder, although hilarious, is not the only thing driving this story. The story critiques several other players in the film industry besides spoiled actors. A greedy and selfish film producer is colorfully portrayed by an almost unrecognizable Tom Cruise. And Matthew McConaughey delivers as Speedman’s overzealous and determined agent. Their encounters debate whether money or friends are most important to them in business.

But best of all, Lazarus’s representation as a serious method actor is so extreme, he undergoes a procedure to alter his skin black for the role. He becomes so committed to his craft, he chooses to remain in character even when the camera isn’t on. Downey Jr. and his character Lazarus are both effective and engaging in the film, taking most of the attention away from lead actor Speedman . . . or should I say Stiller?

Stiller’s choice to write and direct such a controversial film was a concern, expecting this movie would gain much negative attention. However, I feel the story brought across a parody of its own industry as opposed to an offensive representation of stereotypes. To those who watch Tropic Thunder, don’t take the characters so seriously as it is just a satire on Hollywood—nothing more.

Kristin’s Grade: A-
Director: Ben Stiller
Screenwriters: Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux, Etan Cohen
Genre: Comedy
Running Time: 107 minutes
Rated: R (for pervasive language including sexual references, violent content and drug material)