This is a year where I have done a number of firsts in the reviewing arena and here is another one: this is the first time I am reviewing a film that is about another film with “The Disaster Artist”. Based on the making of the room “The Room” (released in 2003), the source material has a cult following due to the fact that many see it as the worst movie ever made. The only thing that makes “The Room” bearable is there are special screenings, like at places like Alamo Drafthouse, where you actually throw spoons at the screen and yell at certain points in the film.
Directed by, produced by, and starring James Franco (much like the man he portrays), the film also stars Eliza Coupe (Benched, Happy Endings), Zac Efron (17 Again, Neighbors), Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games, Escobar: Paradise Lost), Zoey Deutch (Why Him?, Before I Fall), Allison Brie (The Lego Movie, Community), as well as Franco’s brother, Dave (21 Jump Street , Now You See Me), Seth Rogen (Superbad, Pineapple express), and an appearance by Tommy Wiseau, the man behind “The Room”. The film is centered around Wiseau (James Franco), who in my opinion appears to be four cans short of a six-pack, and his best friend/struggling actor Greg Sestero (Dave Franco). Tommy is a man who has no real talent, but he thinks he is, and he wants to get a film made, and after he is turned down by all manner of people and entities in Los Angeles, he and Sestero decide to make the film “The Room” on their own, with Wiseau’s money with Tommy in the lead role.
The film is shot sparing no detail from the sets in the original “The Room”. If you have seen it, you will truly be able to appreciate what they went through to be as original and historically correct. When it comes to the acting, the cast does well overall with two major shout outs: Seth Rogan as line producer Sandy who really adds to the film as the man of “let’s face reality” and get back to planet Earth, and to James Franco who plays the part of Tommy Wiseau to the tee, absolutely nailing the mannerisms, weirdness, and accents very well. I cannot say enough of the job he did. There are also some cameos by some of the Hollywood A-Listers, which is real impressive.
I could also appreciate how much heart Franco really put into this film. I have read that they actually reshot the entire film of “The Room” while doing “The Disaster Artist,” and they had every detail down to a tee from the acting to the sets; literally everything. Here is the issue, though: if you have not seen “The Room”, I feel like you cannot appreciate this film as much. So before you go to “The Disaster Artist,” see the original, especially in a special setting (like throwing spoons at the screen). I will definitely recommend this film as a matinee showing in theaters.