Ben Stiller, the man behind the movie Tropic Thunder, has made it clear that he has no intention of apologizing for the controversial film.
Despite years of controversy surrounding the movie, which parodies various stereotypes and features Robert Downey Jr. in blackface, Stiller remains proud of the work that he and his colleagues put into it.
In response to a tweet claiming that he had apologized for appearing in the movie, Stiller took to Twitter to set the record straight: “I make no apologies for Tropic Thunder. Don’t know who told you that. It’s always been a controversial movie since when we opened. Proud of it and the work everyone did on it.”
The Meet the Fockers star was responding to a fan who had urged him to stop apologizing for the film, which they found hilarious. The Twitter user wrote: “Even funnier now, with cancel culture the way it is. It’s a MOVIE. Ya’ll [sic] can just get over it. I was DYING laughing when I first saw it back in the day and so was everyone else.”
@BenStiller Please stop apologizing for doing this movie. It was and still is funny AF… Even funnier now with cancel culture the way it is. It's a MOVIE. Ya'll can just get over it. I was DYING laughing when I first saw it back in the day and so was everyone else. pic.twitter.com/HEyR0ztQD4
— Benny S. (@BennySings) February 21, 2023
Although Stiller had previously apologized for the movie in 2018, he made it clear in his recent tweet that he no longer felt that an apology was necessary.
He argued that Tropic Thunder was always meant to be a satire that poked fun at actors who would do anything to win awards. In his eyes, the film was never intended to be taken seriously.
Actually Tropic Thunder was boycotted 10 years ago when it came out, and I apologized then. It was always meant to make fun of actors trying to do anything to win awards. I stand by my apology, the movie, Shaun White, And the great people and work of the @SpecialOlympics. https://t.co/RqID5jIXP1
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) October 30, 2018
Stiller’s decision not to apologize has drawn praise from some fans who feel that he should not be bullied into apologizing for something that was acceptable at the time. One Twitter user wrote: “People have to not let themselves be ‘bullied’ into apologies for comedy routines, literature, films, or art they produced.”
Others have pointed out that Tropic Thunder was a classic comedy that should be appreciated for its humor rather than criticized for its content.
One fan wrote: “Downey Jr. deserved an Oscar for that movie.”
Robert Downey Jr. himself has defended the film, arguing that it was intended to be a scathing commentary on Hollywood and the way that it treats people with mental disabilities. He also noted that many of his Black friends had praised the film and found it to be hilarious.
In an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience in 2020, Downey Jr. said: “[Ben] knew exactly what the vision for this was, he executed it, it was impossible to not have it be an offensive nightmare of a movie. And 90 percent of my Black friends were like, ‘Dude, that was great’. I can’t disagree with [the other 10 percent], but I know where my heart lies.”
In the end, it seems that opinions about Tropic Thunder are divided. While some people find the film offensive and feel that it should be boycotted, others see it as a classic comedy that should be appreciated for its humor and satire.
Whatever your opinion on the matter, it is clear that Ben Stiller has no intention of apologizing for the film and remains proud of the work that he and his colleagues put into it.
