2017’s “The Disaster Artist“, directed by James Franco.
Starring James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan, Ari Graynor,
Alison Brie, Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, Nathan Fielder, and Zac Efron.
Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (Scott
Neustadter and Michael H. Weber).
What is it about?
“Disaster Artist” is a movie about the making of the movie,
“The Room”. Renowned as one of the
greatest bad movies of all time, James Franco picked it up as a passion
project, directing and starring as the infamous Tommy Wiseau, the vague and mercurial
anti-talent. Based off of protagonist Greg Sestero (Dave Franco)’s experiences
as a struggling actor, he meets Wiseau in an acting class and the 2 of them
strike up an unlikely friendship, that culminates in their infamous project
together. Much like the not similar “Titanic”, we already know the results
going in- but watching the how is all the fun.
Why is it worth seeing?
Based off of Greg Sestero’s book, “The Disaster Artist:
My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made”, Franco creates a
competently made film about a hilarious project, and the man behind that hilarious
project, that is the very apex of incompetence. We are drawn in to see the trainwreck,
but stay for the insight as to what makes this man tick.
Because Wiseau had to approve the
content that he’s been endlessly promoting, nobody will ever really know whom
he is. Where he actually comes from, where his money comes from, and where the
source of his vague rage emanated from- that’s for him to know alone. “Disaster
Artist” does a great job of pointing this out, but reveals no answers. As I’ve
alluded to in my review of the original film, he’s a mystery wrapped in a fugue
state enigma- and after watching him play football, a visitor from Mars.
Franco’s greatest accomplishment (other than not disappearing from the planet after
hosting the Oscars) may be making Wiseau relatable.
While I’m not a crazy about Franco’s opening montage of
talking heads speaking about the Room’s influence, nor his efforts to point out
how accurately he recreates scenes from the original movie, “Disaster Artist”’s
biggest charm is how funny it is. Wiseau’s series of bizarre and erratic
choices, constantly going against real professional’s recommendations, is
inspiring. And Wiseau’s “act”, his refusal to let people know anything about
him, is fascinating. He may never create anything else, repeat, anything,
that’s not based off of “The Room”, but at least he may be able to milk a
lifetime’s worth out of his tour de farce. As for Franco, he’ll do plenty,
after nicely catching this 21 century bit of schadenfraude.
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