Oh hai, readers! I have announcement to
make. The movie we're expecting has finally arrived! I'm not kidding;
my friends and brothers and I are all big fans of 2003's The Room
and ever since I heard that the tell-all book of that film's
production, The Disaster Artist, was being adapted into a
James Franco/Seth Rogen film I think I crapped my pants. (And yes, I
have read the book, like, five times.) And now Christmas has come
early, the wait is finally over, and I've got to say this is
definitely the farthest I've ever driven to go see a movie. Limited
releases... you drive me crazy. So did The Disaster Artist
live up to expectations?
Of course, whadya think?
TDA is the hilarious and surprisingly
emotional true story of how aspiring young actor Greg Sestero became
friends with another aspiring actor and eccentric, mysterious weirdo
Tommy Wiseau. After struggling to become actors through the usual
Hollywood means the two decide to make their own independent movie,
The Room, with Wiseau as director/writer/producer/executive
producer/lead actor. The following ordeal tests both their friendship
and their resolve. Just like the book it's based on, the story serves
as a celebration of bold ambition and following one's dreams.
There were a few changes the film made
from the book though. There are events that didn't actually happen,
there are events that went down differently, and a bunch of little
fun oddities that were left out of the film entirely. For example,
did you know that The Room actually went through three
film crews and two script supervisors? I might have to write a
“Book vs. Movie” article on this pretty soon because as is
unfortunately the case with a lot of adaptations there was so much
good stuff in the book that they couldn't possibly have put it all on
the big screen. In other words, don't plan too much; it may not come
out right.
The cast is loaded with some pretty
good talent here. First and foremost is James Franco as the bizarre
Tommy Wiseau. Franco must have spent a long time studying Wiseau's
oddities because he nails them The Disaster Artist. He's got
Wiseau's speech, accent, mannerisms, and even his lazy eye down to a
T. Everything is fine. Playing the role of Greg is James' brother
Dave Franco. He does an OK job, but I found him to be too
happy-go-lucky at times. For a young character who's struggling to
find work he often seems too smiley and unflappable. Does he
understand life? Rounding out the cast is such famous faces as Seth
Rogen as script supervisor Sandy, Josh Hutcherson as Philip Haldiman
(AKA “Denny”), and Alison Brie as Greg's girlfriend Amber as well
as a bunch of cameo appearances from the likes of Sharon Stone, Zac
Efron, Bryan Cranston, Judd Apatow, and even Tommy Wiseau himself
(post-credits). It's as if Franco invited all his friends. Good
thinking.
That's right, James Franco also
directed TDA. He does a pretty good job with a couple exceptions. One
is that the film opens with several actors/comedians giving their
thoughts on the “genius” behind The Room and its creator.
I thought it was just a little unnecessary and pretentious. They
should've left their stupid comments in their pockets. There's also
frequent use of handheld wobbly camera, which is OK for emphasizing
the Room's chaotic production scenes, but not necessary for
scenes like when Greg is leaving his parents' house for Los Angeles.
At least Franco made sure to cram in plenty of The Room's
memorable lines.
In short, The Disaster Artist is
a joy to behold. It's the downright hilarious, bizarre, feel-good
movie of the year. It's a shame it didn't get a wider release; they
could've gotten new clients and made a lot of money. Keep in mind you
don't need to have read the book in order to get TDA. Do you need to
have seen The Room first? I think it would definitely help,
yes. If you've not seen the original film yet then this'll just be a
quirky comedy to you. But seasoned Room veterans will find
that The Disaster Artist will make the world a better place to
live.
Grade:
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