Movie Review: The Disaster Artist
What We Liked
What We Didn't Like
Simply put, making movies is hard. There are so many elements that must go right for everything in a film to work, but many times, it comes down to the film’s director. The “auteur” usually has a specific vision for a film and typically must make everything fall into place to make his vision a reality. From the script, to the set, to the acting, and a thousand other things in between, the film falls almost squarely on his or her shoulders. That’s why many directors are often considered artists. That’s also why James Franco’s new film about the making of The Room (2003) is called The Disaster Artist. Sure, The Room is considered one of the worst movies ever made, but what writer/director Tommy Wiseau created is still considered art. It’s a terrible movie that has endured the test of time and has been elevated to a cult status very few movies could dream of. As Adam Scott points out at the beginning of The Disaster Artist, The Room is still talked about well after its debut over fourteen years ago. We don’t talk about the Best Picture from then, but people still talk about The Room.
The Disaster Artist begins in 1998, where we see Tommy Wiseau (James Franco) put on a bizarre performance in front of his acting class after his teacher dares anyone to show true emotion. This catches the attention of Greg Sestero (Dave Franco, James’ real-life brother) and the two of them start a unique friendship. Greg is intrigued by Tommy’s care-free attitude and the way he sees the world, even though he often doesn’t completely understand everything Tommy does. The two then move to Los Angeles to begin acting careers and, a few years later, Tommy writes what he thinks is a gripping drama, which Greg agrees to star in since he is struggling to find work. What follows is a comedic look at an artist who won’t let anything get in the way of putting his vision to film, no matter how baffled the crew gets.
While this film might get marketed as a behind the scenes look at the making of The Room, and much of the film is devoted to just that, it surprised me how much of this film focused on Tommy and Greg’s relationship. It’s an interesting look at two actors who are the opposite of each other; Tommy is man who seemingly doesn’t have any talent but isn’t afraid to put himself out there, while Greg is a man who appears to have talent but is at times afraid of putting himself out there. The film quickly establishes their relationship, which is no doubt bolstered by the relationship between the two real-life siblings. The two have an easy chemistry that is funny, heartfelt, and incredibly natural. Dave Franco has mostly had some side comedic roles, but this is the first time we get to see his dramatic acting get put to good use and he nails it.
It’s ironic that James Franco both stars and directs in a movie about an actor/director making a movie. It’s a “meta” move in the sense that we see Wiseau’s passion for what he thinks is the next great American drama as well as Franco’s passion for the source material – probably more so in his acting. Franco has always been one of Hollywood’s more intriguing actors, but this is one of the trickiest roles of his career and he knocks it out of the park. He nails Wiseau’s cadence and presence without being too over the top. But, while his acting is top notch, his directing skills might need a little more maturing. He’s directed a bunch of short films and documentaries, and even some of the shows he’s been on like 11.22.63 and The Deuce, but this is his first “big” directing job. He still needs to learn how to rein in his movies a little bit and establish a consistent tone. There were too many times in the movie where it went from being a flat-out comedy to a drama and then back again. I understand that was probably how the set and Wiseau was, but there were some awkward moments where dramatic moments came off as comedic and vice versa. Franco needed to establish a better tone in these instances, and while he will certainly get better with subsequent efforts, maybe this film could have benefitted from a more seasoned director.
James Franco as Tommy Wiseau in “The Disaster Artist.”
While Franco might struggle with the tone, he does not have any problem getting good comedic performances from his talented cast. The cast is loaded with actors like Alison Brie, Paul Scheer, and Seth Rogen. Everyone contributes in their own small way, and most of the time acts like a surrogate audience by asking questions of the plot and wondering why they are shooting a scene a certain way. There a ton of cameos that are amusing, particularly Judd Apatow in one of the movie’s more successful attempts at balancing comedy and drama.
It’s easy to compare The Disaster Artist to Tim Burton’s Ed Wood (1994), but where the film separates itself is the way it balances comedy and drama. While The Disaster Artist can be inconsistent at times, the film is incredibly touching when dealing with the relationship between Tommy and Greg. That relationship really carries the first half of the film, and then the film bounces to more of a straightforward comedy when it starts showing the actual production of The Room, which is when the all-star cast shines. This is certainly a movie that people who have seen The Room will enjoy more, but it is not necessary to have seen it before watching this movie. Although I may wish that a more established director had been behind the camera to make the movie flow a little better, that’s also kind of the beauty of The Disaster Artist. Sometimes the artist isn’t a perfect conduit, but he may still have a vision that is worth seeing. James Franco obviously had a vision with The Disaster Artist, and while it may not be perfect, it is far from a disaster.
Scott Davis
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