The Room has become lovingly known as the Best, Worst Movie ever made. Having reached cult status due to this fact, James Franco has adapted co-star, co-producer, and best friend of its creator Greg Sestero‘s account of it into his latest film, “The Disaster Artist”. In the vein of “The Room”s creator, director, producer, and star Tommy Wiseau, Franco also directed, produced, and stars in this film.
That is just the start of the parallels between these two films. James Franco became Tommy Wiseau on a level I have not seen in a biographical piece in quite some time. He didn’t rely on special effects or make-up to become the part with minimal costuming. It was his talent at mimicking Tommy’s mannerisms, speech pattern, and even way of thinking. While watching this film, my brain started to have a hard time picturing James Franco as himself or any other part he has played.
It isn’t just James Franco’s embodiment of Tommy that made this movie either. This entire cast shows their time and effort studying others to provide an accurate representation of them from Seth Rogen to Franco’s brother, Dave, as Sestero, Paul Scheer, and a multitude of others. (Keep your eyes open for cameos by the likes of Sharon Stone, Melanie Griffith, and ever Greg Sestero himself.)
The natural bond between the two Franco’s did work in their favor to reflect the never understood by anyone else relationship between Tommy and Greg. The Disaster Artist also accomplishes something that only The Room was able to accomplish before by having the spirit of the seriousness of this being “a big Hollywood movie” while not really having an idea what that means.
If you haven’t seen The Room yet or recently I do highly recommend doing so first, but make sure to find an audience participation viewing or watch with a group that knows what to do and when to do or say it. Then go see The Disaster Artist and enjoy the vision.