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Since its release in 2003, a film called The Room has regularly sold out midnight showings in theaters around the country. It’s a film that’s gained cult status not because it’s just that good but because it’s just that bad. And in The Disaster Artist, director James Franco explores the making of what’s been called the worst movie ever made.
The Disaster Artist begins in San Francisco, where model and aspiring actor Greg (Dave Franco) is struggling in his acting workshops. His eccentric classmate, Tommy (James Franco), meanwhile, puts his heart and soul into every scene. The two become friends and eventually move together to Los Angeles, determined to make their acting dreams come true. But Greg can’t get his agent to return his calls, and Tommy is laughed out of every casting call. Instead of giving up, they decide to make their own movie—and the whole production is every bit as unconventional as its mysterious director.
The Disaster Artist is a surprisingly good movie about a notoriously bad one. It’s strangely fascinating and wildly entertaining—and it all centers on one remarkable character.
Only in Hollywood can one man be ridiculed for being an eccentric outsider, while another man can be lauded for imitating him. But that’s certainly the case here. Tommy Wiseau is a bizarre character with a strange accent and an even stranger personality. Everything about him is completely off-the-wall—which is why he can’t get a single serious acting gig. Franco, meanwhile, is already earning award nominations for his performance, in which he gives the character every bit of the over-the-top flair that he deserves. Franco’s Tommy is absolutely mesmerizing: such a fascinating train wreck of a character. And it’s that character—and everyone else’s reaction to him—that makes the entire film.
Meanwhile, the story behind the film is almost as mind-boggling as the character. From the mysteries of Tommy’s past—like where he got that outrageous accent and where his endless cash flow comes from—to the outbursts on set to the painfully uncomfortable premiere, it’s often crazier than most fictional features. Admittedly, there are moments when the outrageousness of it all can be just plain exhausting, but it’s all so captivating that you won’t be able to look away.
You don’t have to have seen The Room to enjoy this astonishing behind the scenes exploration. Be warned, though, that after spending some time with James Franco’s take on this remarkable character, you might be tempted to seek it out (against all better judgment).
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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