Tom Cruise Reborn? Raves For "Tropic Thunder" Role

Tropic Thunder, the latest from writer-director-actor Ben Stiller, doesn't open till August 13, but the trailer has been playing in theaters (and on laptops everywhere) for seemingly forever. The very funny--and often razor-sharp--big-budget film about the ridiculousness of big-budget films lampoons just about everything under the Hollywood sun. Per the previews, you probably know that Ben Stiller plays a fading action star; Jack Black, a tubby Warhol-wigged comedian; and Robert Downey Jr., an Australian method actor who undergoes an experimental pigmentation procedure in order to play an African-American soldier. All three are thrown together on the set of yet another Vietnam War picture (cue CSNY and the majestic helicopters!), where Steve Coogan is their bedraggled director.

But besides a high-powered cast, the movie has a secret, too, which Paramount and DreamWorks have been doing their best to keep under wraps until after the film opens: that a small, uncredited performance from Tom Cruise steals the whole show. In Tropic Thunder, Mr. Cruise plays Les Grossman, a bald, hirsute, foul-mouthed studio mogul with a penchant for hip-hop hip-swiveling moves. It's an astonishingly funny and surprising supporting performance (especially considering Mr. Cruise's last outing was in the dreadful, if well-meaning, Lions for Lambs).

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Comments

[AgathaX]

I've always maintained that Cruise peaked in "Risky Business", and did a good reprise in "Jerry McGuire", but that all his other movies were pretty painful to watch--none more so than "Rain Man" and "Born on the Fourth of July." Cruise's role in "Tropic Thunder" has a lot more in common with "Risky Business" than any other roll. Its funny, brash and he dances. He was extraordinarily entertaining, and I didn't think I had the capacity to ever like Tom Cruise again. That he could prove me wrong I find extraordinary. I don't think I'll ever go see Cruise in another drama, but he's more of a comic genius than he gets credit for--in large part because I don't think he appreciates his own gifts in that regard.

[RButler]

I've never cared for Cruise before or after his year of Oprah, Katie, Matt and Brooke. However, 2 of my favorite movies are 'The Firm' and 'A Few Good Men'. They did have excellent supporting casts and were well made though. I don't think he's good a carrying a film by himself.

[TRichards]

Cruise has always had acting chops when not over-playing his once winning smile. His behavior has given a new interpretation to his megawatt smile (from "winning" to "crazed"), so it is a wise career mode for him to take a role in which his lost "charm" takes a backseat to his talent.

Johnny Carson had it right in his conscious decision to be a professional rather than to exploit his popularity to sell his ideas. He understood what Cruise does not. Most of us like entertainers to entertain, not to preach to us.

See "Magnolia" for a previous demonstration of Cruise's acting ability. He's undeniably a talented actor, but -- for me at least -- he has lost his ability to charm. "Top Gun" has become unwatchable and "Bartender" always was. But, still, Cruise's presence in a picture is not yet quite an active turn-off.

As for Nicolas Cage . . .

[anghiari]

I don't understand your comment. Tom Cruise is a brilliant actor and has been for years. He has selected highly commercial projects by and large and because they have been popular, he has become one of the highest paid actors and that has given him lots of clout. I don't expect actors or any other American citizen to give up their right to express their opinion about whatever. We don't impose that restraint on anybody else with a career in this country..why actors?

I have never understood the idiocy of bashing Cruise because of his Right to select whatever religion he chooses. Until someone shows me a scandal on the level of the Catholic Priests, then Scientology gets to function as does every other religion. Cruise is a grown man who has earned his millions. He gets to do with his millionsas he chooses. The nastiness around his marriage to Katie has been nothing short of merciless. This stupid speculation about the man is relentless. Why not just leave people alone and let them live their lives? Don't go to his movies if you don't like him...but the rest of us tired of all the ranting about the man and his life choices. He has a right to do what the hell he wants, with whom he wants!

[trinity29]

cruise is a mediocre actor at best. commercial success of a movie does not automatically make someone a brilliant actor. if that were the case then pierce brosnan can be considered a brilliant actor too.

cruise can express himself whichever way he likes but then he needs to know that people can react to his "freedom of expression" with theirs. the issue is not about his freedom to express. the issue is about the content of what he says with little to no basis for it - like take vitamins for postpartum depression. he is free to say whatever he likes and so are the people who react to his lunacy.

as far as his religion is concerned, i don't think his personal beliefs are the issue here. the issues are two-fold. first people have a problem when cruise uses his beliefs to preach against things he knows so little about - like psychological disorders, or postpartum depression, or substance abuse. he is an actor and not a doctor, psychologist, or even a psychiatrist. his information on all of these fields come from a science fiction author who believed in an intergalactic warlord Xenu and evil thetans attached to your body. That hardly qualifies him to go around doling out expert advice.

secondly, scientology has horrible track record of abuse of children, its followers, and human rights violation and harassment. people question cruise's choice since he purports to be such a do-gooder - contradictory to the image he projects.

[trinity29]

as such i am not a religious person and could not care what religion an actor supports. however, i do have a problem with tom cruise being a man and then telling brooke shields that vitamins could have cured her postpartum depression. unless he can push a baby through his rear, he has no business telling women how they should feel and what they should take after their pregnancy. he is an actor not a doctor or a psychiatrist regardless of his opinion of either profession.

secondly, scientology as an organization has extremely questionable practice of human rights, child labor, illegal tax evasions, and harassment of any members who dares to question their practices with critical thought. this is not to say that other "religious" organizations are not disciplinary or unethical in their practices as I have equal disdain for all of them. I don't care about Cruise's personal preference and beliefs in an intergalactic warrior named Xenu and evil thetans. Thats his business. However, I care when he starts to shove those beliefs down other people's throats and tells them how to be and what to do when they dont subscribe to the same kind of doctrine.

[LarBear]

Sitting here chuckling... So, People who Believe in the Bible as Factual, and Believe in the Biblical GOD as factual, think Tom Cruise and Scientology is weird, whack job, etc??? LMAO... Let me Ponder........
Many claim to Believe in the Bible, but actually use the Bible to justify, rationalize, their Beliefs... Puhhhleeeeze!
Genesis: God creates the Heavens and Earth... God populates the Earth with sexual creations... Plants, animals, trees, grasses, and so forth... ALL, either male, and/or female... Then God creates a Garden called Eden... In the Garden, in God's image he created an IT named Adam... (Was no female, so had to be and IT, because needs to be a female to be a male... There is no one dimensional coin so to speak... ) Did God take a, suddenly stupid, pill? Then, when it dawns on, knows all, God, that his IT is alone, so, rather than create from scratch, a female as in all other species male, or female, God puts Adam to sleep and uses a rib, LOL...
Also, since the Biblical God created one Adam & Eve as sexual beings, who would birth other sexual beings, the Biblical God created (set up) incest???
And Tom Cruise is a whack job... Katie is under his Alien spell... Suri is a clone of Katie....
People's Beliefs and Reality are facinating...
LarBear wondering if he can sleep with one eye open....

[InternationalObserver]

Hmmmm, okay, a coupla things: I really don't like Sc1ent0l0gy and often rail against it (but then, I have a low opinion of all religions) and accordingly I think less of Cruise as a person. But I've always rated Cruise as an actor. That may not be a popular opinion, but I maintain he *is* capable of great performances and has made some good/great movies. And lastly: Stiller has over the years done some great parodies of Cruise, so this is no surprise to me. Just search Utube, they're worth watching.

[trudem2]

I have never been "creeped out" by Tom Cruise as this article claims.

For one thing, I'm more than willing to leave his religion to him....matters not one a jot to me.

Secondly, I never found a man so happily and deliriously in love he wants to jump up and down (on a couch) particularly weird. I found it quite endearing actually, especially coming from a super A-list actor-billionaire.

So....I'm one of those who never swallowed the hype about Tom Cruise. He's just a man .... that's all.
Why the surprise????

[andvoodoo2]

Well, I'm mad now. I had planned on seeing "Tropic Thunder" because Downey had supposedly done such a great job in it. Now you tell me Cruise is in it! I don't think I wanna see it after all. I can't stand Cruise.

[Daps]

Yeah right, Cruise just keeps looking crazier and crazier, well past his sell-by date as a leading man and sociopath-controlling at best in the media.

He can no longer demand the salaries he once did, so he's been losing roles he wanted to the younger set, Valkyrie has been put off for the forseeable future and has been panned not only in Germany (where he was said to have the acting depth of a "plate of corn flakes") but everywhere else.

Looks like the Church of Scientology's going to have to promote Will Smith to "main actor-promoter" sooner than expected.

[ilovedessert]

WHO CARES I WOULDN'T SPEND 15 CENTS TO SEE HIM IN ANYTHING. HE IS A WACK JOB! WITH HIS STEPFORD WIFE!

[tkondaks]

Thanks, HuffingtonPost, for ruining the surprise for us.
There's an unofficial internet protocol called "SPOILER ALERT" which requires you to reveal the "reveal" after you have alerted your readers that you will reveal something special or secret about the movie and you provide the reader a choice not to read any further.

[Daps]

"But besides a high-powered cast, the movie has a secret, too, which Paramount and DreamWorks have been doing their best to keep under wraps until after the film opens: that a small, uncredited performance from Tom Cruise steals the whole show. In Tropic Thunder, Mr. Cruise plays Les Grossman, a bald, hirsute, foul-mouthed studio mogul with a penchant for hip-hop hip-swiveling moves. "

Oh bullshit this is a "secret", nobody's been keeping it under wraps. This isn't even guerilla/viral marketing.

His cameo's been promoted for months now.

[rainey]

You mean you were meaning to go to a movie with the whack job Cruise in it? Seriously!

[ilovedessert]

RAINEY: You took the words out of my mouth......tommy is a crack pot!