THE MOVIE THEY THINK THEY’RE MAKING… ISN’T A MOVIE ANYMORE.Ā
A group of diverse actors gather in Vietnam to make a war movie, but end up in real trouble with heroin manufacturers without realizing it. Ben Stiller is a frustrating director, full of great, politically incorrect ideas but incapable of making a movie that holds up all the way. This one has more hits and misses than one can count, but the hilarious stuff is memorable. Those include the faux previews (I want to see that gay monk drama) and the cast; Jack Black makes fun of Eddie Murphy and Robert Downey, Jr. is outstanding as a dead-serious Method actor who always takes everything too far.
2008-U.S. 106 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed byĀ Ben Stiller. Screenplay: Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux, Etan Cohen. Cast: Ben Stiller (Tugg Speedman), Jack Black (Jeff Portnoy), Robert Downey, Jr. (Kirk Lazarus), Nick Nolte, Steve Coogan, Jay Baruchel… Bill Hader, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Cruise. Cameos: Tyra Banks, Jon Voight, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Mickey Rooney, Jason Bateman, Lance Bass, Alicia Silverstone, Tobey Maguire, Kevin Pollak.
Quote: “Everybody knows you never go full retard.Ā Dustin Hoffman, ‘Rain Man,’ look retarded, act retarded, not retarded. Counted toothpicks, cheated cards. Autistic, sho’. Not retarded. You know Tom Hanks, ‘Forrest Gump.’ Slow, yes. Retarded, maybe. Braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off Nixon and won a ping-pong competition. That ain’t retarded. Peter Sellers, ‘Being There.’ Infantile, yes. Retarded, no. You went full retard, man. Never go full retard. You don’t buy that? Ask Sean Penn, 2001, ‘I am Sam.’ Remember? Went full retard, went home empty handed…” (Downey, Jr. on acting and the Oscars)
