A month in film - September 2008

September is infamous for being a very dismal time of the year.

Summer is coming to an end and as term begins again many are left feeling down and depressed.

As a response it seems film distributors have tried to lighten us up with a vast array of comedy films.

It is just a shame the most highly anticipated film of the month and one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year Tropic Thunder did not live up to its expectations.

With A-listers Robert Downey Jr, Ben Stiller and Jack Black all with prominent parts it was first thought that perhaps too many chefs would spoil the broth, but this wasn't the case.

None of the chefs had a broth to work with, as there was simply no script for the actors to use.

The main problem was that the film just was not consistently funny and Stiller's script and direction just failed to strike a cord with everyone's funny bone.

Marketed as an edgy comedy full of controversial subject matter, the actual film did not live up to its promising concept.

As a self-proclaimed satire on Hollywood it does initially amuse but the content really fails to scratch beyond the surface

Downey Jr. is brilliant as a black man but the script itself is just flat and there is not much for him to really work with.

But the film was let down the most by its marketing.

Having already seen the funniest set pieces several times in the trailer being played everywhere, the shock factor was ruined.

The only reason Tropic Thunder is worth the ticket price is Tom Cruise's dancing, it has to be seen to believed.

But this film was far superior as a comedy compared to the utter shambles that was Guy Ritchie's Rock n Rolla.

One again Mr. Ritchie has made a film full of southern stereotypes with unconvincing daft names that include 'One Two', 'Mumbles' and 'Tank'.

Basically this is another rehashed attempt at remaking his solid debut Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels which he still has yet to live up to.

By disguising his new Lock Stock he has tried to throw in a bit of The Long Good Friday with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang to try and provide more political substance.

But unlike either The Long Good Friday or Kiss Kiss Bang Bang all the originality and skill has been left out providing this very flawed piece of work. 12»