How Les Grossman didn’t get a solo-movie spin off is beyond me…

…well in 2018 Paramount bought the Rights For Life to the character and rumour has it a movie staring Les is in the works!

If there were ever a man born to be President of the United States it’s Les Grossman.

“I want fat hands and I‘m gonna dance.” — Tom Cruise

Very occasionally cinema produces a character so compelling it jumps off the screen. Some are written along with the rest of the script and sometimes, such as with the mercurial Les Grossman from Ben Stiller’s Tropic Thunder, it’s a collaboration of actor and director. A star and his needs creating something so extraordinary you wonder where it came from.

More bad news from the Vietnamese set of Tropic Thunder where a four million dollar explosion charred the Asian location and the camera wasn’t even rolling. Financed by hot headed mega mogul, Les Grossman, the film is already rumoured to be 1 month behind schedule just five days into shooting.

Tom Cruise appeared on BBC Radio 1 in 2017 where he discussed how he created the character.

It was one of those moments… you know I’ve known Ben (Stiller) for many years…. and… we’re watching a film and I say “what’r ya workin’ on?” and he says “I’m workin’ on this film called Tropic Thunder.” He said “look would you mind reading the script and you know I’d like to talk to you about it” so I say “Ok”. I read the script and he had all the characters but the studio wasn’t there. There was a structural compression missing… down on those characters. You know… that keeps the pressure on these guys that really makes… drives the story.

I was like “you need the studio”. So he came back like a few weeks later and I started reading. I read this character and I went “Ok, this is fun.” I said “do you mind, Ben? I wanna play this character.” I said “I wanna have fat hands and I wanted to dance.” And he looked at me and was like “what?” [Tom hold his hand out and shakes imagined mass] I remember I was like “Ben, no man I want like fat hands and I’m gonna dance.”

He said, “look are you sure you… can’t you… why not just be like you… look like you?” I’m like “I don’t know man. Sorry. I don’t know how else to play this character.”

So then I did the make up test and we tested the fat hands you know and the whole look and so we were doing the wardrobe and their was no music playing and Ben and I… so I said “look let me just… I wanna do some things… some moves for you.” So I started… I just started like working… you know… on Les just kinda moving like that.

He just called me and was lau — he picked the music out. He edited this thing together. He was just pissing himself. And he sent it to me and was like “Ok, I get it, I get it.’ [Tom laughs]

Shitting The Money Bed

Fingers are pointing at rookie director, Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan), who insiders say can’t control his star studded cast.

[Director and studio executive walking to teleconference meeting with studio head, Les Grossman.]

Damien Cockburn: He called it a crisis meeting so… ya…

Rob Slolom (Bill Hader / Les’s Right Hand Man): If Les Grossman throws these words around… crisis… explosion… not rolling… fired… these are just words.

….

[Giant television with camera presents a giant face.]

Les Grossman: He may be able to see me but I can’t see him!

Rob [Waving in front of TV]: Hello.. Hello Les! Les! It’s working. Ya, ya, ya. Whatever you’re doing right there! Hello Les!

Les: Ok, Ok.

Rob: We got you loud and clear here, Les.

Les: I see you…. [Looks around room] I see you. Which one of you fuck faces is Damien Cockburn?

Damien [raises hand]: Uhh, that’s me, sir! Good to finally meet you… at last to get some face time.

Les: And who here’s the key grip? [Big man at side of the room raises hand] You? You. Hit that director in the face really fucking hard.

[Big man walks over as everyone is completely silent…

Key Grip: Sorry, man.

and punches Damien in the face really, really hard.]

Damien: Oww. Oww. Ohhh.

Les: Hmmm! This is your fault you limey fuck! You shit the money bed, my friend!

Damien: What?

Rob [Slams hand on table]: God dammit, Damien! With all due respect Les Grossman did not blow up the jungle!

Damien: What?

Les: Fuck the jungle.

Rob: Exactly! Come on, man!

Damien: Hey, Les… I understand if you’re angry but I’m dealing with a bunch of Prima donnas… clowns. Tug Speedman… he can’t cry! He can’t cry!

Les: You know how you handle an actor when they whine about anything… you pull down their pants and you spank their ass!

Rob: You spank that ass, Les!

Damien: What?

Four Leaf (Nick Nolte): Spanking a child turns him into a little snot. Fear makes him a man. I know a place where a man’s worth is measured in the ears hanging from his dog tags. The real deep shit. Wanna make this movie right… that’s where you take your pansy ass actors.

Les: Who is this guy?

Rob: Les, that’s Four Leaf…

Four Leaf: Sgt. Four Leaf Tayback. I wrote the book (that Tropic Thunder is fictionally based upon).

Les: Oh. You’re a great American. This nation owes you a huge debt. Now shut the fuck up and let me do my job! [Four Leaf spits out the apple he was eating.] Cockburn…

Damien: Yes sir…

Les: From now on my fist is gonna be so far up your shit hole that ever time you have a thought its gonna have to tip toe passed my wedding ring. Take control of your actors or I will shut you down!

“If my client wants TIVO he gets TIVO.” — Rick Pecker

No TiVo

While at first one might mistake Les for a two-dimensional antagonist it quickly becomes obvious this character provides cover for the entire project. Not only does he entertain in his given scenes, but actually improves the film as a whole through a tonality which excuses the relatively minor offenses presented in other characters. The audience can forgive themselves for laugh at off-colour jokes.