Full disclosure- I have never watched The Room from start to finish. I know that it's a cinematic rite of passage to endure Tommy Wiseau's epic disasterpiece, but it's a surprisingly hard film to access, and I've just never felt the urge to put myself through the experience. However, that doesn't mean I'm unfamiliar with Wiseau's infamous feat of filmmaking. I've watched plenty of "Best of The Room" videos online with my brother, cackling with glee at the delivery of lines like "You're tearing me apart, Lisa!" and "Oh, hai Mark." There's something so strange about The Room, and it's even stranger when you see the movie in random bits and pieces (from what I've gleaned, the actual film isn't really all that cohesive).
When I heard that James Franco was gearing up to make The Disaster Artist, a film that chronicles Wiseau and co-star Greg Sestero's misadventures in Hollywood, I was immediately intrigued. This was partially due to my odd fascination with the enigmatic figure of Wiseau, but mainly due to the inevitable comparison between this passion project and another very famous film about a terrible director- Tim Burton's Ed Wood. I first saw Burton's 1994 classic earlier this year, and I totally fell in love with it. The idea of a companion piece to Ed Wood was enticing, and I'm glad to say that The Disaster Artist lives up to that promise. Is it as kooky and satisfying as Burton's masterpiece? No, and the comparison is probably a superficial one more than anything. But Franco's film is a tremendous Hollywood insider story, a portrait of a dysfunctional, toxic friendship that doubles as a clever twist on the idea of the American Dream. Led by the extraordinary duo of James and Dave Franco, balancing oddball hilarity and wide-eyed innocence with ease, The Disaster Artist is great fun, but it also gives you a good deal to think about when you leave the theater.
Greg Sestero (Dave Franco) is an aspiring actor in San Francisco, but there's just one small problem- he has pretty much zero confidence. Greg's salvation as a performer comes in the form of an unexpected friend- the mysterious and bizarre Tommy Wiseau (James Franco). At an acting class, Wiseau volunteers to perform a scene from A Streetcar Named Desire, and even though he's terrible, Greg is mesmerized by his sheer bravery and fearlessness. Tommy and Grego strike up an unexpected friendship, much to the disappointment of Greg's mother (Megan Mullally). And let's face it- there's just something off about Wiseau. He drives a slick white Mercedes, he asks Greg to say nothing about him, and hell, he won't even say how old he is. And to make things even more strange, he calls Greg "baby face." Tommy is basically an endless series of red flags.
But when Tommy reveals that he has a place in Los Angeles, Greg decides to pack his bags and pursue his dream with a man that he barely knows. Unfortunately for the two of them, Hollywood isn't so fond of their talents. Greg is signed by an agency but gets no calls, and Tommy's odd accent doesn't jive with what producers want. Some try to cast him as a villain, but Tommy insists that he's an old-school American hero. With nowhere left to go, the wannabe stars make an unusual decision- they opt to make their own movie. Tommy begins cranking out a screenplay, despite knowing precisely nothing about how to make a movie. The result is The Room, a melodrama of disastrous proportions. Utilizing money that was acquired by undisclosed means, Tommy produces, directs, and stars in this nightmare of a motion picture. As the production turns chaotic, the bond between Greg and Tommy will be tested like never before. But in the process, they might just make one of the best worst movies of all time.
As a feature-length tribute to The Room, The Disaster Artist is a lot of fun. If you know anything about this travesty of cinema (and if you spend any time online, it's almost impossible not to have some knowledge), you'll probably find yourself smiling at the way the iconography is twisted and crafted in a fascinating way. Franco and his crew painstakingly recreate individual scenes from the original film, generating laughs and creating a jovial atmosphere from start to finish. Even as, technically speaking, an indie/arthouse film, The Disaster Artist has a broad sense of humor and a mainstream sensibility that makes it a smooth and easy watch. In fact, it plays very much like a stereotypical Rogen/Franco comedy, which is far from a bad thing. These comedians catch plenty of flack for their focus on weed jokes and F bombs, but they have an eye for absurdity (think This is the End or The Interview) that hits the sweet spot in a movie like this.
Of course, much of the humor is dependent on James Franco's wacky performance as Wiseau. Franco has been something of a punching bag in Hollywood in recent years, but as the uniquely weird auteur, the actor is nothing shy of magnetic. Wiseau is hilarious and unnerving, defined by mannerisms that could pop up at the weirdest times and a vocal speaking pattern that is consistently amusing. However, Franco as Wiseau alone is not enough to drive this movie. It's impossible to take your eyes off him, but this movie does not work nearly as well without the work of Dave Franco. Greg Sestero wrote the book on the making of The Room (which formed the basis for this movie), and his part in this story is just as important as Tommy's role. But Greg provides less opportunities for the younger Franco to go straight for the crowd-pleasing laughs, which leads to something much more surprising and nuanced.
I know that The Disaster Artist is intended as a cinematic round of applause for Wiseau's unconventional genius, but the picture of the notorious filmmaker painted by this film isn't always flattering. The Disaster Artist ultimately becomes a movie about a toxic friendship, an odd couple driven by power dynamics and their own distinct personalities. Greg is a total pushover. He has no confidence whatsoever, and when we meet him at the start of the movie, he doesn't even have the courage to deliver a monologue onstage. In one of the more fascinating scenes in the movie, Greg goes to the office of a powerful agent to see if he wants to sign. The agent (Sharon Stone) takes one look at him and says "You're mine," and Greg is helpless to do anything else. Greg is pushed around by everyone in his life- his girlfriend (played by Dave Franco's real-life wife, Alison Brie), the crew of the film, and of course, Tommy himself.
Tommy is everything that Greg is not. "I don't care, I do it," he says of acting, which is something that Greg wishes he could say. He is utterly fearless, and he pushes Greg to be a "better" actor, sometimes by using methods that feel cruel or extreme. In Tommy, Greg sees an inspirational figure, someone worth idolizing. And in Greg, Tommy sees the looks of a Hollywood hero, the "babyface," the one thing that he doesn't have. The movie creates a give-and-take relationship between the two, and while I wish the film delved into Tommy's abusive, villainous antics more, there's no denying the truth of real life- Greg and Tommy are still good friends today. Franco can only go so far without the matter of real life getting in the way. Nonetheless, it's a fascinating twist that adds a sense of richness and complexity to what could have been a highly superficial story.
And beyond its more thematically engaging elements, The Disaster Artist is just an ingenious story about Los Angeles, an insider twist on the American Dream that is funny and heart-warming in equal measure. As fractured as I found the relationship between Greg and Tommy to be, there are some really sweet moments early in the film, especially as they bond over their mutual love for cinema and movie stars. Franco understands the appeal of this old-fashioned concept of super-stardom, and it's fun to watch them strive for this dream in the late 90s and early 2000s. To top it all off, The Disaster Artist features an endless barrage of cameos and minor roles for some of the biggest stars in the world. Seth Rogen and Paul Scheer as perpetually frustrated industry veterans, Zac Efron as the enraged thug Chris-R, Josh Hutcherson as the young Denny- it's all brilliant, hysterical stuff.
Filmed in a jittery style that only enhances the comedic and narrative unpredictability that underlies every scene, The Disaster Artist is a joyfully silly and surprisingly complex look at a cult classic. It lacks the kooky macabre sensibility that made Ed Wood a masterpiece, but Franco's portrait of the now-legendary Tommy Wiseau is almost as wildly enjoyable. But as fun as it can be, Franco and co-screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber understand that this is more than a one-dimensional story, that there needs to be more than just an uncannily good portrayal of Wiseau. Those emotional intricacies that drive the relationship between Tommy and Greg make the movie great, and it's something that gives the viewer more to chew on once the credits roll. Everyone looking to laugh with The Room will have their fun, but look closer and you might find something even more rewarding.
THE FINAL GRADE: A- (8.2/10)
Images courtesy of A24
When I heard that James Franco was gearing up to make The Disaster Artist, a film that chronicles Wiseau and co-star Greg Sestero's misadventures in Hollywood, I was immediately intrigued. This was partially due to my odd fascination with the enigmatic figure of Wiseau, but mainly due to the inevitable comparison between this passion project and another very famous film about a terrible director- Tim Burton's Ed Wood. I first saw Burton's 1994 classic earlier this year, and I totally fell in love with it. The idea of a companion piece to Ed Wood was enticing, and I'm glad to say that The Disaster Artist lives up to that promise. Is it as kooky and satisfying as Burton's masterpiece? No, and the comparison is probably a superficial one more than anything. But Franco's film is a tremendous Hollywood insider story, a portrait of a dysfunctional, toxic friendship that doubles as a clever twist on the idea of the American Dream. Led by the extraordinary duo of James and Dave Franco, balancing oddball hilarity and wide-eyed innocence with ease, The Disaster Artist is great fun, but it also gives you a good deal to think about when you leave the theater.
Greg Sestero (Dave Franco) is an aspiring actor in San Francisco, but there's just one small problem- he has pretty much zero confidence. Greg's salvation as a performer comes in the form of an unexpected friend- the mysterious and bizarre Tommy Wiseau (James Franco). At an acting class, Wiseau volunteers to perform a scene from A Streetcar Named Desire, and even though he's terrible, Greg is mesmerized by his sheer bravery and fearlessness. Tommy and Grego strike up an unexpected friendship, much to the disappointment of Greg's mother (Megan Mullally). And let's face it- there's just something off about Wiseau. He drives a slick white Mercedes, he asks Greg to say nothing about him, and hell, he won't even say how old he is. And to make things even more strange, he calls Greg "baby face." Tommy is basically an endless series of red flags.
But when Tommy reveals that he has a place in Los Angeles, Greg decides to pack his bags and pursue his dream with a man that he barely knows. Unfortunately for the two of them, Hollywood isn't so fond of their talents. Greg is signed by an agency but gets no calls, and Tommy's odd accent doesn't jive with what producers want. Some try to cast him as a villain, but Tommy insists that he's an old-school American hero. With nowhere left to go, the wannabe stars make an unusual decision- they opt to make their own movie. Tommy begins cranking out a screenplay, despite knowing precisely nothing about how to make a movie. The result is The Room, a melodrama of disastrous proportions. Utilizing money that was acquired by undisclosed means, Tommy produces, directs, and stars in this nightmare of a motion picture. As the production turns chaotic, the bond between Greg and Tommy will be tested like never before. But in the process, they might just make one of the best worst movies of all time.
As a feature-length tribute to The Room, The Disaster Artist is a lot of fun. If you know anything about this travesty of cinema (and if you spend any time online, it's almost impossible not to have some knowledge), you'll probably find yourself smiling at the way the iconography is twisted and crafted in a fascinating way. Franco and his crew painstakingly recreate individual scenes from the original film, generating laughs and creating a jovial atmosphere from start to finish. Even as, technically speaking, an indie/arthouse film, The Disaster Artist has a broad sense of humor and a mainstream sensibility that makes it a smooth and easy watch. In fact, it plays very much like a stereotypical Rogen/Franco comedy, which is far from a bad thing. These comedians catch plenty of flack for their focus on weed jokes and F bombs, but they have an eye for absurdity (think This is the End or The Interview) that hits the sweet spot in a movie like this.
Of course, much of the humor is dependent on James Franco's wacky performance as Wiseau. Franco has been something of a punching bag in Hollywood in recent years, but as the uniquely weird auteur, the actor is nothing shy of magnetic. Wiseau is hilarious and unnerving, defined by mannerisms that could pop up at the weirdest times and a vocal speaking pattern that is consistently amusing. However, Franco as Wiseau alone is not enough to drive this movie. It's impossible to take your eyes off him, but this movie does not work nearly as well without the work of Dave Franco. Greg Sestero wrote the book on the making of The Room (which formed the basis for this movie), and his part in this story is just as important as Tommy's role. But Greg provides less opportunities for the younger Franco to go straight for the crowd-pleasing laughs, which leads to something much more surprising and nuanced.
I know that The Disaster Artist is intended as a cinematic round of applause for Wiseau's unconventional genius, but the picture of the notorious filmmaker painted by this film isn't always flattering. The Disaster Artist ultimately becomes a movie about a toxic friendship, an odd couple driven by power dynamics and their own distinct personalities. Greg is a total pushover. He has no confidence whatsoever, and when we meet him at the start of the movie, he doesn't even have the courage to deliver a monologue onstage. In one of the more fascinating scenes in the movie, Greg goes to the office of a powerful agent to see if he wants to sign. The agent (Sharon Stone) takes one look at him and says "You're mine," and Greg is helpless to do anything else. Greg is pushed around by everyone in his life- his girlfriend (played by Dave Franco's real-life wife, Alison Brie), the crew of the film, and of course, Tommy himself.
Tommy is everything that Greg is not. "I don't care, I do it," he says of acting, which is something that Greg wishes he could say. He is utterly fearless, and he pushes Greg to be a "better" actor, sometimes by using methods that feel cruel or extreme. In Tommy, Greg sees an inspirational figure, someone worth idolizing. And in Greg, Tommy sees the looks of a Hollywood hero, the "babyface," the one thing that he doesn't have. The movie creates a give-and-take relationship between the two, and while I wish the film delved into Tommy's abusive, villainous antics more, there's no denying the truth of real life- Greg and Tommy are still good friends today. Franco can only go so far without the matter of real life getting in the way. Nonetheless, it's a fascinating twist that adds a sense of richness and complexity to what could have been a highly superficial story.
And beyond its more thematically engaging elements, The Disaster Artist is just an ingenious story about Los Angeles, an insider twist on the American Dream that is funny and heart-warming in equal measure. As fractured as I found the relationship between Greg and Tommy to be, there are some really sweet moments early in the film, especially as they bond over their mutual love for cinema and movie stars. Franco understands the appeal of this old-fashioned concept of super-stardom, and it's fun to watch them strive for this dream in the late 90s and early 2000s. To top it all off, The Disaster Artist features an endless barrage of cameos and minor roles for some of the biggest stars in the world. Seth Rogen and Paul Scheer as perpetually frustrated industry veterans, Zac Efron as the enraged thug Chris-R, Josh Hutcherson as the young Denny- it's all brilliant, hysterical stuff.
Filmed in a jittery style that only enhances the comedic and narrative unpredictability that underlies every scene, The Disaster Artist is a joyfully silly and surprisingly complex look at a cult classic. It lacks the kooky macabre sensibility that made Ed Wood a masterpiece, but Franco's portrait of the now-legendary Tommy Wiseau is almost as wildly enjoyable. But as fun as it can be, Franco and co-screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber understand that this is more than a one-dimensional story, that there needs to be more than just an uncannily good portrayal of Wiseau. Those emotional intricacies that drive the relationship between Tommy and Greg make the movie great, and it's something that gives the viewer more to chew on once the credits roll. Everyone looking to laugh with The Room will have their fun, but look closer and you might find something even more rewarding.
THE FINAL GRADE: A- (8.2/10)
Images courtesy of A24
Comments
Post a Comment