The Disaster Artist - Review
Director: James Franco
Cast: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogen, Alison Brie, Ari Gaynor, Josh Hutcherson, Jacki Weaver
In 2003, one of the best-worst movies ever made, The Room, was unleashed into the world. Written, directed, produced by the mysterious and enigmatic Tommy Wiseau (who also stars), the film bombed upon its release but has since become a cult hit and continues to play in cinemas across the globe. Greg Sestero, one of the film's stars, wrote a book entitled 'The Disaster Artist' that entails the uniquely turbulent experience of making the cult classic - and bona fide Hollywood actor James Franco pulls a Wiseau by helming and starring in the adaptation of the real life account.
Tommy Wiseau (James Franco) and Greg Sestero (Dave Franco) become firm friends after bonding over their shared dreams of achieving Hollywood stardom. They relocate to Los Angeles but after years of unsuccessful auditions, Tommy produces a self-financed film that he and his best pal star in - and the process is unforgettable.
The Disaster Artist is a comedic triumph, with the majority of laughs often coming at the expense of Wiseau and his lack of self awareness. However, James Franco doesn't allow Wiseau to exist purely as a facial figure, imbuing the real life man of mystery with a vulnerability that is universal. He's a dreamer with huge ambitions that exceed his talent or appeal and feels that the whole world is against him. Tommy has always been an outlier, judged by everyone for his vampire-ish appearance and hard-to-place accent; he's hardly the ideal candidate for movie stardom but he preservers despite the mountain of obstacles he faces. The fear of failure or inadequacy is one that festers in many of us and we may recognise more of ourselves in Wiseau than we'd like to admit - but his audacious and unapologetically bizarre behaviour is something to be admired and saluted. Franco makes all of these nuances abundant in his performance, physically embodying the role and unenunciated accent with impressive ease and the accolades he has received thus far for his portrayal this awards season are much deserved.
Watching The Room is an experience best enjoyed when amongst a group of people with whom you can bond with over the sheer ridiculousness of the melodramatic story. The Disaster Artist effects the same galvanising feeling, but every deserved laugh is intentional and not the result of an incoherent narrative, lacklustre performances or dodgy dialogue. Unlike the film's lead character, Franco has clearly relied upon the collaboration of a talented team to make the project a success, most notably the screenwriters (Scott Neustader and Michael H. Weber, scribes of 500 Days of Summer and The Spectacular Now) who delivered a phenomenal script that balances hilarity and heavier themes such as the ode of chasing the rainbow - and even if you don't find a pot of gold at the end of it, the alternative can be just as rewarding.
Overall, The Disaster Artist is one of the most entertaining films of the year, anchored by a compelling lead performance from James Franco and serving as a celebration of all of the world's underdogs.
EB
Cast: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogen, Alison Brie, Ari Gaynor, Josh Hutcherson, Jacki Weaver
In 2003, one of the best-worst movies ever made, The Room, was unleashed into the world. Written, directed, produced by the mysterious and enigmatic Tommy Wiseau (who also stars), the film bombed upon its release but has since become a cult hit and continues to play in cinemas across the globe. Greg Sestero, one of the film's stars, wrote a book entitled 'The Disaster Artist' that entails the uniquely turbulent experience of making the cult classic - and bona fide Hollywood actor James Franco pulls a Wiseau by helming and starring in the adaptation of the real life account.Tommy Wiseau (James Franco) and Greg Sestero (Dave Franco) become firm friends after bonding over their shared dreams of achieving Hollywood stardom. They relocate to Los Angeles but after years of unsuccessful auditions, Tommy produces a self-financed film that he and his best pal star in - and the process is unforgettable.
The Disaster Artist is a comedic triumph, with the majority of laughs often coming at the expense of Wiseau and his lack of self awareness. However, James Franco doesn't allow Wiseau to exist purely as a facial figure, imbuing the real life man of mystery with a vulnerability that is universal. He's a dreamer with huge ambitions that exceed his talent or appeal and feels that the whole world is against him. Tommy has always been an outlier, judged by everyone for his vampire-ish appearance and hard-to-place accent; he's hardly the ideal candidate for movie stardom but he preservers despite the mountain of obstacles he faces. The fear of failure or inadequacy is one that festers in many of us and we may recognise more of ourselves in Wiseau than we'd like to admit - but his audacious and unapologetically bizarre behaviour is something to be admired and saluted. Franco makes all of these nuances abundant in his performance, physically embodying the role and unenunciated accent with impressive ease and the accolades he has received thus far for his portrayal this awards season are much deserved.
Watching The Room is an experience best enjoyed when amongst a group of people with whom you can bond with over the sheer ridiculousness of the melodramatic story. The Disaster Artist effects the same galvanising feeling, but every deserved laugh is intentional and not the result of an incoherent narrative, lacklustre performances or dodgy dialogue. Unlike the film's lead character, Franco has clearly relied upon the collaboration of a talented team to make the project a success, most notably the screenwriters (Scott Neustader and Michael H. Weber, scribes of 500 Days of Summer and The Spectacular Now) who delivered a phenomenal script that balances hilarity and heavier themes such as the ode of chasing the rainbow - and even if you don't find a pot of gold at the end of it, the alternative can be just as rewarding.
Overall, The Disaster Artist is one of the most entertaining films of the year, anchored by a compelling lead performance from James Franco and serving as a celebration of all of the world's underdogs.
EB
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