The Disaster Artist

All I really wanted from this film was an entertaining and funny montage about the making of The Room. And James Franco and crew delivered!

However, we can’t talk about this film without mentioning the book it’s based off of, The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made. This book, co-written by Greg Sestero, is a recounting of the process and people behind The Room. Sestero was the producer for the film as well as a supporting actor. Anyone that has seen The Room understands how bad of a film it is and why it’s so loved. It truly is the best worst film ever made. It just so happens that the man behind it, Tommy Wiseau, is full of mystery and odd mannerisms. This provided fodder for Sestero to write the book that created the material for the movie’s adaptation.

The Disaster Artist’s main goal seems to be to show the unbelievable moments from the book while attempting to showcase Wiseau’s essence. If you have seen The Room, and have seen Wiseau in interviews, then you will appreciate how completely and successfully James Franco captures his presence. From his looks, to his accent and speech mannerisms, Franco is Wiseau. It’s fun to watch him become this person while simultaneously directing the film. The movie’s portrayal of Wiseau is constantly shifting between a brotherly relationship with Sestero (played by Dave Franco) , to a angry, slightly unhinged, struggling artist who feels misunderstood by everyone around him. It makes for playful funny scenes between the Franco brothers and the rest of the supporting cast.

Despite being a poor writer, director, and actor, Wiseau’s character has a drive and kind (for the most part) demeanor that makes you root for his success. By the end, even when you already know the outcome, you can feel Wiseau’s initial pain at having people laugh during his film’s debut. Ultimately, this film gives some context to the man, and his movie, and makes the unbelievable seem just that much more believable.