Comments on: Excuses and such http://thetarquin.com/BlagSwitch/2008/08/19/excuses-and-such/ Pull it. You know you want to. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:32:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: The Tarquin http://thetarquin.com/BlagSwitch/2008/08/19/excuses-and-such/#comment-145 The Tarquin Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:13:21 +0000 http://thetarquin.com/BlagSwitch/?p=94#comment-145 Okay, perhaps I was a bit harsh on the film. You are correct in that it's got some great satirical parts. In fact, I think that, upon reflection, that's why I objected to Jack Black and Tom Cruise's characters: they felt like they were put in to play to the lowbrow. As if the rest of the movie actually had some interesting, subtle, satirical wit, so they felt that they had to thrown in fart jokes and vulgar insanity to make it fly. Really, I guess what bugged me is that Stiller was SO close to making a clever satire, but he ruined it by underestimating his audience. Okay, perhaps I was a bit harsh on the film. You are correct in that it’s got some great satirical parts. In fact, I think that, upon reflection, that’s why I objected to Jack Black and Tom Cruise’s characters: they felt like they were put in to play to the lowbrow. As if the rest of the movie actually had some interesting, subtle, satirical wit, so they felt that they had to thrown in fart jokes and vulgar insanity to make it fly.

Really, I guess what bugged me is that Stiller was SO close to making a clever satire, but he ruined it by underestimating his audience.

]]> By: Ann http://thetarquin.com/BlagSwitch/2008/08/19/excuses-and-such/#comment-144 Ann Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:26:43 +0000 http://thetarquin.com/BlagSwitch/?p=94#comment-144 I thought Tropic Thunder was great, in opposition to almost every other Ben Stiller movie EVER. It works as both poo-comedy and corporate satire with equal wit (the rant about actors going "full retard"? Oh, dear god, I've been waiting years to hear that from someone. Be as offended as you want by the specific terminology. The point is exquisite. You were subjected to <i>I am Sam</i>, right?) I guess the big thing for me was that unlike other Ben Stiller movies, you actually come to care about the characters. He's not just setting these patsies up to be knocked down. I don't know. Maybe he's learning something from having Judd Apatow kick his ass around at the box office... making absurd but altogether HUMAN characters is a boon to effective comedy. Just a few thoughts. And Tom Cruise scared me. I thought Tropic Thunder was great, in opposition to almost every other Ben Stiller movie EVER. It works as both poo-comedy and corporate satire with equal wit (the rant about actors going “full retard”? Oh, dear god, I’ve been waiting years to hear that from someone. Be as offended as you want by the specific terminology. The point is exquisite. You were subjected to I am Sam, right?)

I guess the big thing for me was that unlike other Ben Stiller movies, you actually come to care about the characters. He’s not just setting these patsies up to be knocked down. I don’t know. Maybe he’s learning something from having Judd Apatow kick his ass around at the box office… making absurd but altogether HUMAN characters is a boon to effective comedy.

Just a few thoughts.

And Tom Cruise scared me.

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