Written by Scott Neustander, Michael H. Weber
Producer James Franco, Vince Jolivette, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver
Starring James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogen, Alison Brie, Ari Graynor, Josh Hutcherson, Jacki Weaver
Music Dave Porter
Cinematography Jack N. Green
Back in 2003, the mysterious Tommy Wiseau gave us one of the strangest cinematic experiences ever: the cult film The Room. Plenty of people call it one of the worst movies of all time, yet it still gets screened in theaters around the world, and oddly enough, the shows are almost always sold out. Now, in 2017, James Franco is back with The Disaster Artist, a film about the troubled production of The Room.
Franco stars as Wiseau, the writer, director, producer, and star of The Room, as he and his best friend Greg Sestero (Dave Franco) try to make it as actors in Los Angeles. Along the way, their friendship gets tested when Wiseau grows jealous of Sestero’s girlfriend (Alison Brie) and the Room shoot gets more and more stressful.
Franco gives one of the most memorable performances of his career. He nails Wiseau’s look, voice, and aloof aura, and he also captures a broken quality that’s both hilarious and genuinely heartbreaking. Just like Wiseau on the original, Franco directed, produced, and starred in this one, which makes the comparison between the two even easier. It’s also great to see him excel as a director and prove he’s just as talented behind the camera as in front of it.
The movie is a triumph because it balances comedy and drama so well. A few moments made me laugh harder than most movies do, and a few others made me want to cry. It’s an excellent piece of cinema about the beauty of friendship and the importance of chasing your dreams, even when they don’t turn out quite right.
It’s not perfect, though. The cast is stacked with names like Seth Rogen, Paul Scheer, and Josh Hutcherson, but nobody seems to want to be there as much as the Franco brothers do. That’s not to say the supporting cast is bad, just forgettable for the talent involved.
The Room is remembered for its terrible story, awful acting, and quotable dialogue, but Franco’s version of how it got made won’t be remembered for any of that. With a funny script, superb acting, and a wonderfully surreal feel, The Disaster Artist captures what makes The Room so beloved and adds everything that makes a movie great.
