The Disaster Artist: Review

The Disaster Artist begins with a selection of comedians, actors, writers and other Hollywood types professing their love for one of the worst films ever made: The Room, the film that The Disaster Artist lovingly chronicles the making of. This review should be prefaced by the fact that I have seen The Room close to fifteen times and have paid money to attend screenings hosted by Tommy Wisseau. I’m not alone in my love of this god-awful movie, but why? The Disaster Artist aims to answer that question.

James Franco as Tommy Wiseau. Warner Bros. Pictures

The year is 1998 and aspiring actor Greg Sestero (Dave Franco) meets a mysterious man called Tommy Wisseau (James Franco) at an acting class. They fast become friends and decide to move to LA to pursue acting careers that allude them for the next three years. During that time Tommy Wisseau writes The Room. The rest follows the catastrophic making of the film.

I’m not alone in my love of [The Room], but why? The Disaster Artist aims to answer that question

The Disaster Artist is not entirely without surprise, hysterical, given the story itself is a real-life comedy of unbelievable proportions and the cast and crew are among the most prominent comedic talents in Hollywood. But there is more to it than that. What could easily have been a joke at the expense of people who were already the biggest jokes in Hollywood becomes something more like a response to films such as La La Land. Whereas La La Land painted a glossy, perfect picture of Hollywood populated by talented people, The Disaster Artist gives us something more real. Hollywood is seedy, people are assholes, and no one has what it takes. And yet at its core is the same hope and love for film. Nowhere is this clearer than in James Franco’s performance as Tommy Wisseau, which is arguably a career best.

Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Tommy Wisseau could easily have been a source of cheap laughs. With his weird pirate look, Eastern European accent that he insists is actually from New Orleans and his ignorance to his own lack of talent, it would make sense to just make him a comedic villain. While Franco certainly mines Wisseau for comedic gold to great success, he also portrays him sympathetically as a man who wants Hollywood, and the great old American Dream it represents, so badly that he will do anything to get there, even if he doesn’t have the talent. The Disaster Artist tackles the great fear anyone who wants to work in entertainment faces, the fear that no matter how badly you want it, you might just not be good enough. Though you don’t expect to feel for Tommy Wisseau of all people, you do because in the end no one wants to be Tommy Wisseau, but at the same time we’re all Tommy Wisseau. It’s a fantastic performance built upon pure intentions.

At its core is the same hope and love for film. Nowhere is this clearer than in James Franco’s performance as Tommy Wisseau, which is arguably a career best

The rest of the cast does just as well, though sometimes it feels like they’re there to prop up Franco. This is the film’s only major fault as you’re often waiting from Franco to come back on screen and steal the movie back whenever he’s absent, but that’s not for a lack of trying on the cast’s part. Seth Rogen is a standout though everyone manages a perfect impression of the person they are supposed to be and the only other actor with as to do as well as Franco is his brother, Dave Franco. He’s easily likable, funny and the highlight of his performance is the sheer amount of fun that he, and indeed the rest of the cast for that matter are having. That’s probably The Disaster Artist’s greatest attribute. Everyone from the Franco brothers to the genuinely surprising cameo actors are there because they love The Room and they’re all clearly thrilled to be a part of The Disaster Artist. In their hands what could have been a farce becomes a love letter not just for a terrible movie, but for Hollywood itself and all that it represents.

I honestly don’t know how this film will play for people who are unfamiliar with The Room. In my screening, the man in front of me was googling the film ten minutes in and five minutes later he walked out. In theory, as a funny, lovingly made film it should be accessible to everyone so please give it a try for more than fifteen minutes. But for those going in who know what they are about to see, it is a treat. Go to a late showing, take some friends, and enjoy.