I never cared much for Ben Stiller. I don’t know what it was. Reality Bites, perhaps? But he’s earned my appreciation, especially with the wit that was displayed in Tropic Thunder. The journey he sets the actors on is narcissistic navel gazing at its finest, and somehow that’s charming. Kirk Lazarus and Tugg Speedman, two stars on their own paths, Lazarus, acclaimed, and Tugg on the wrong side of a promising action career.
Downey is quite good. Not as good as Tom Cruise in his performance. That scene stealing romp, drenched with profantiy and sprinkled with a thick mane of matted chest hair is the show stopper. The end credits dance sequence is what evoked the most laughs, and it by far overshadows the performances of Downey, Stiller and Jack Black. (If you’re at work, don’t get mad when the profanity starts after you click ont he video. You’ve been warned.
But I digres. The success of Tropic Thunder came from casting the right guy to play And everyone hits his mark, from Nolte to McConaghey to the principles. Was Downey the best of the bunch? Maybe. He had the lightning rod role. His character is controversial, and pretentious, and at times hilarious. Because we are in on the joke. Everyone else is busy making sure we understand that the joke is on Hollywood.
How much of this nod was because he carried a comic book project that had disaster scrawled all over it? Probably quite a bit. There is much to recommend in his performance as well as the work he did in Iron Man. His own take on his craft is illuminating as well:
“It’s about time narcissistic, accolade-seeking idiotic actors were
formally recognized,” Downey deadpans about his nomination, speaking
from the Brooklyn, N.Y., set of “Sherlock Holmes.” “It’s been a long,
hard road for us.”
[...]
Downey, who was nominated previously for the title role in 1992’s
“Chaplin,” says “it would be really self-important to draw comparisons”
between his Oscar nomination and Barack Obama’s swearing in. “One is
hugely significant and the other is a bit of a surprise within the
inner sanctum of the entertainment business.”
And while his candor is a treat, his performance is not Oscar worthy.
Plus there’s this guy
