The Disaster Artist

'The Disaster Artist' has garnered comparisons with Tim Burton's 'Ed Wood'. Not surprisingly, both detailing of incompetent directors making infamously terrible films with big dreams and with their hearts in the right place.

In 'The Disaster Artist's' case, it looks at the life of Tommy Wiseau and the making of one of the worst films ever made 'The Room'. Some consider 'The Room' a cult classic while acknowledging that it isn't a good film but to me and others it's just inept film-making even when taking it for what it is. Like 'Ed Wood', a masterpiece and the better film, 'The Disaster Artist' is an infinitely better film than that that is the film's subject, actually being good. If you love 'The Room', you'll love 'The Disaster Artist' and how the film is treated affectionately rather than trashed. Even those who hate 'The Room', like me, are likely to find a lot to enjoy.

Not without its flaws certainly. Personally could have done without the concluding side by side comparisons, which didn't serve much point and on their own they were not as funny or clever as they could have been.

More pointless are some of the cameos, which were distracting and leaned towards the smug.

However, 'The Disaster Artist' is a triumph when it comes to the script and the storytelling. The script is witty and clever, with a lot of the frequent humorous moments and lines being hysterical. None of it is less than very amusing. Just as much a treat are the re-enacting scenes, which are far funnier than the actual product itself. Yet it's not just about the humour, there is also an immense likeability, pathos, heart and honesty.

Really loved the story execution. Tommy's hopes and struggles are relevant and relatable and his confidence and perseverance inspiring. The treatment of the subject matter is affectionate and also eccentric like Wiseau himself, something that one doesn't expect when they have knowledge of Wiseau and 'The Room'. One would think that the film would poke fun and trash them, but actually they're treated in a respectful and candid fashion, this definitely felt like a celebration. Especially well done is the central budding friendship, which was handled with warmth and sincerity and was truly heartfelt to watch.

Visually, 'The Disaster Artist' is certainly a more competent film while having some purposefully inept moments when re-enacting. The music is effective and fitting if not memorable or striking enough to get any rooting for awards. James Franco shows great confidence as a director and also gives a performance of a lifetime that shows him having the time of his life. It is easy to overlook his brother Dave, but he is not deserving of being because he gives every bit as good a performance while being more subtle. Seth Rogan is a riot and makes the most impression of the supporting cast.

Overall, very good and nearly great film, not disastrous in the slightest, misstepping only at the end and with some of the cameos. 8/10 Bethany Cox

It's quite ironic that one of the movies most talked about in award season would be the story of the making of The Room, widely considered to be one of the worst films ever. I don't know if I should be proud or ashamed, but I've actually seen The Room. It's terrible, it really is, but it's also kind of... good, in a way. Some of the worst lines (Among them "I did not hit her," "You're tearing me apart, Lisa," and that weird chicken scene) are very quotable and super easy to mock, but there's an undeniable passion put into it. The Disaster Artist, on the other hand, is about the man behind the movie, the enigmatic Tommy Wiseau. James Franco's portrayal of Tommy is one of the best of the decade. The way he nails Tommy's quirks, unusual mannerisms, his odd way of speaking, and that distinctive hair he had going is astounding. I didn't see James Franco. I saw Tommy Wiseau playing himself, in a movie about himself. Tommy is an interesting character, in the movie and in real life, because despite living in the age of the Internet, very little is actually known about him. But despite being a complete stranger to the whole world, he goes and makes himself known, and follows his dream of making a movie. Even though he's sometimes hostile toward others, he has his dream and sets on it, and not giving up on making the movie. It made The Room seem like a movie within a movie, that this was the real deal. Aside from the performance, Greg is an interesting protagonist, and his relationship with Tommy is well developed. The story is balanced in a way where the audience sees the perspectives of both Tommy and Greg, and how the perceptions of The Room vary between them. It's a great movie about following your dreams, no matter the outcome. For fans of Tommy Wiseau and The Room, it's an absolute must watch.

Having been lucky enough to get tickets to the Australian premiere of The Disaster Artist with Greg Sestero himself in attendance, I was excited and eager to watch this amazing story. A comprehensive look at the making of what might be the most perplexing piece of cinema ever. I was not disappointed. James Franco is so spot on in his portrayal of Tommy's quirks and character its actually surreal. His first scene having him enter an acting class with the confidence of a rockstar but the talent of a fingerless piano player. Almost all of his endearingly strange lines had the audience laughing their heads off. I tip my hat to him and hopefully the Oscars come calling. He deserves to be nominated.

That presents a problem as well. He makes Tommy too likeable. While he was humanised to a certain extent and some solid insight was given into his motivations and feelings, it has to be acknowledged the real Tommy was far more obnoxious, manipulative and plain nasty. It was hard to present an accurate portrait of him as James Franco focuses more on his quirks and his charm and his tyrannical side was a bit glossed over. Nonetheless I gave him a pass and still loved watching him. And hey, you can't say Tommy isn't sincere. Other changes were made to the story and some plot points fictionalised, but that's the case in nearly every adaptation so that was to be expected. It did capture the spirit of the story and was never boring or slow paced, though it wouldn't have hurt to be a little longer either. Dave Franco does an excellent job as Greg, playing him a little more naive and optimistic than his real life counterpart (the real Greg knew he was not making a good movie, while this Greg seems a little more deluded.) but like the real Greg was so likeable and warm you just wanted him to succeed.

The film's supporting characters are perfectly cast as well, with Seth Rogen playing a straight man role as Sandy the stunned script supervisor along with several comedians and famous actors popping up left right and centre. The making of the movie is the most enjoyable part and is seriously funny. One of the biggest laughs in the cinema was Josh Hutcherson's first appearance as the room's most peculiar character, Denny, goofy haircut and shirt intact. It was also great to see that Ari Graynor and Jacki Weaver, playing Juliette Danielle's Lisa and Carolyn Minnott's Claudette from the movie respectively, are portrayed as strong willed and thick skinned people who nobly put up with some of the worst working conditions for an actor imaginable. No water or air conditioning combined with gratuitous belly button sex would have probably broken others but they soldiered on.

Overall it's a hilarious and genuinely moving account of an insane true story. It softens the darker edges a bit too much and I would have loved it to have included some even crazier parts of the book that didn't make the cut but what we're left with is still an excellent and enjoyable movie. OH HI MARK!

"The Disaster Artist" (2017 release; 103 min.) brings the real-life story of how the 2003 cult movie "The Room" got made. As the movie opens, a number of current day movie stars, including Kirsten Bell, Adam Scott. J.J. Abrams and others gush about the virtues of this "so bad, that it's so good" movie. We then shift to "San Francisco, July 13, 1998" when Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero meet at an acting class and strike up a friendship. Later that year, they decide on w him to move to Los Angeles, where Tommy somehow has kept an apartment. Tommy and Greg pursue their dream of becoming an actor (inspired by James Dean, among others), but when it's becoming clear that nobody wants to do anything with them, they decide to make their own film... At this point, we are 15 min. into the movie, but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this movie is a labor of love primarily by James Franco, who directs, co-produces, and stars as Tommy. His brother Dave co-stars as Greg. The real life story is so beyond anything believable that if this were a work of fiction, it would immediately be dismissed as just that. Let me state upfront that I have not seen "The Room" (although I see it frequently listed as a midnight listing at my local art-house theater). From everything we witness in "The Disaster Artist", Tommy is so incredibly inapt yet convinced of his own talent, it reminds me of those American Idol auditions back in the day where certain contestants think they are super good yet they were horrible. Another similarity is the Meryl Streep movie "Florence Foster Jenkins" (about a real life wealthy NY socialite who thinks she sings well and nobody dares to contradict her, leading to a notorious Carnegie Hall concert). James Franco does an outstanding job in the lead role, and I'm going to predict that he will get a number of nominations in the upcoming awards season. It isn't until the very end of the movie (when scenes from the original "The Room" are played in parallel with the recreated scenes for "The Disaster Artist") that one gets a sense how incredibly meticulous Franco has been in recreating them down to the last detail. Absolutely amazing. Last but certainly not least, the movie features a bunch of other well-known performers, some of them in very noticeable roles (such as Seth Rogen and Alison Brie), and others in "blink and you'll miss it" roles (such as Sharon Stone, Zoey Deutch, Zac Efron, etc.). In an early scene of the movie, when Tommy and Greg become unlikely friends, they head over to Tommy's place, and Greg notices a prominent sign on the apartment's wall: "I Do Not Choose To Be a Common Man". Whatever you think of Tommy, he certainly is not your "common man"!

"The Disaster Artist" opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati on not one, but two screens (a rarity). The Friday evening screening where i saw this at was attended very nicely, I;'m happy to report. The audience roared with laughter on many occasions. The positive word-of-mouth this movie surely will generate makes it likely to have long legs at the box office (at least within the art-house theater circuit). If you are in the mood for something truly different, I encourage you to check out "The Disaster Artist", be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray.

The Disaster Artist (2017)

*** (out of 4)

Greg (Dave Franco) is a wannabe acting taking part in an acting course when he meets a bizarre man named Tommy (James Franco). Tommy talks the young man into moving to Los Angeles where the two can hopefully live their dreams of becoming actors but things don't work as planned so Tommy comes up with the idea of making his own movie.

James Franco produced, directed as stars as Tommy Wiseau and it's easy to see why he would be so involved with the film. I mean, THE ROOM is just one of those movies that once you see you can never forget it. There are great movies that you watch that you'll never forget but THE ROOM is something completely different. Some have called it one of the worst movies ever made but it is a cult item and it continues to live on whereas some of the "good" movies that were made at the same time have been forgotten.

THE DISASTER ARTIST is a rather interesting film on a number of levels. It does work as a documentary look at the making of the film as well as the relationship between Greg Sestero and Tommy Wiseau but at the same time you learn very little about the man behind the camera. This is actually joked about throughout this movie and to me the film worked best as an acting showcase for James Franco. There's no question that his performance is the reason to watch this movie as he goes all in as the bizarre Wiseau.

What I enjoyed most about the film is that Franco perfectly nails the speech of Wiseau but he also doesn't just mimic the real person but instead delivers a full and rich performance. The actor really is believable in the role and so much so that you can actually believe that you're watching the real Wiseau and not just an actor playing him. Dave Franco, Alison Brie, Jacki Weaver and Seth Rogen all turn in nice supporting performances but there's no doubt that it's Franco who steals the picture.

In all honesty, I'm not sure how much interest this film will have to people who aren't already familiar with THE ROOM. I'd personally recommend that you watch that film before getting into this one. For the most part I thought Franco, the director, did a good job at showing the craziness behind the scenes and how it all ended up on the screen. We might not learn a lot about the character but we at least get an idea of the madness that it took to create THE ROOM.