James Franco goes FULL Tommy Wiseau in this hilarious and poignant tribute to THE ROOM
“How is this a thing that exists?” is a line often uttered while viewing The Room, a film released back in 2003, whose existence was first announced by a now infamous billboard on Highland Blvd. Thought to have cost around $6 million dollars to make, the film is the vision of the enigmatic Tommy Wiseau, serving as writer, producer, director, star, and financier of the entire production. In the weeks that followed, word of mouth of the awfulness and hilarity of the endeavor began to draw huge midnight crowds, fueling the cult following that has snowballed ever since. As well as becoming a regular audience participation feature at indie cinemas in the years since its release, the film also led to a book that inspired this feature, written by Wiseau’s co-star and friend Greg Sestero (together with Tom Bissell). The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made offered up a blow-by-blow account of the events leading up to the film being made, its production, and most pertinently the curious bromance at the center of it all, one that The Disaster Artist also champions.
Greg Sestero (Dave Franco) is 19, living with his mother in San Francisco, and an aspiring actor. Timid in his performances, he is stunned at an acting group by the fearless work of highly eccentric classmate Tommy (James Franco). Seeking to learn from him, he strikes up a friendship, and before long the pair foster a strong bond. A dream of making it in the business prompts them to move to Los Angeles, moving in together to an apartment owned by Tommy. Despite Greg gaining an agent and girlfriend pretty quickly, both have trouble gaining a real foothold in the industry, but for very different reasons. However Tommy comes up with a plan. If they can’t get into movies, why not make their own. Self-financed, Tommy takes the helm, roping in Greg as his co-star to begin production; but as the shoot slowly progresses, the cast, crew, and Greg himself become increasingly aware that Tommy’s singular vision is leading to a very unusual film.
Without a doubt, a viewing of The Room beforehand would certainly deepen appreciation for what Franco achieves here, but is not essential for it. You certainly get a sense of what the film was about, at least as much as you can understand Wiseau’s intent. A tale of a tortured individual and unforgettably bad dialogue, sets, and editing. The Disaster Artist explores the making of this feature, its artistic intent, but more pertinently the friendship that led to its making and how it was tested by it, spending time building up this relationship before TEARING IT APART during filming. The latter half of the film is imbued with a mounting horror as cast and crew alike realize Tommy is in way over his head.
The man himself was, and remains, something of an enigma, with a wardrobe and coiffure that hints at Eastern European roots despite his claims to have come from New Orleans. His bottomless bank account finances two apartments, cars, and a multi-million dollar film production. His curious appearance and mannerisms prompt directors and casting agents to push him as a villain type, while Tommy sees himself as a hero. How close he could have been to having this cruel industry twist him into something he was not; thankfully, this was prevented by audiences embracing his creation. James Franco loses himself in the role of Wiseau, not just mimicking this enigma but drawing from his depths to craft a sympathetic and endearing character. It’s an astonishing transformation, inhabiting the man, nailing his mannerisms and curious speech, omitting words and basic grammar. But he deftly peels back the mystery and shows his insecurities too. This is not a blindly lavish portrayal, but instead a “warts and all” depiction. His anger, occasional immaturity, mistreatment of the crew, and other unsettling quirks are all tempered by a conveyance of the man’s enduring generosity towards his partner Greg, portrayed with a crucial sincerity by Dave Franco. Wiseau utters “I made the whole movie for you, Greg,” and you believe it. They’re supported by a hell of a cast too, including Alison Brie, Seth Rogen, Megan Mullally, Josh Hutcherson, Jacki Weaver, Sharon Stone, Melanie Griffith, Hannibal Buress, Judd Apatow, Bryan Cranston, Zac Efron, and Ari Graynor. They all add plenty of depth and texture to the effort, and as you’d imagine given the parts, and those within the film within the film make the most of lines and scenes imbued with cult status.
As Director, Franco went so far as to reshoot 25 minutes of The Room, not only to serve as footage for certain sequences, but surely to immerse the cast in this homage to such a bizarre production. You get a glimpse of this juxtaposed with the original footage throughout the credits. While some of the handheld camerawork and use of ‘90s needle-drops is a little excessive, these are minor quibbles for a film that is well structured and engrossingly paced. It also delivers a climax that fully embraces the phenomenon that has grown around the film over the past decade. Most importantly, The Disaster Artist never feels like it’s mocking the movie or the man, instead invoking a reverence and tenderness for him and what he created. Franco must be applauded for treading such a fine line as well as turning in one of the best performances of the year.
The Room was a film made by instinct rather than logic, and The Disaster Artist perfectly showcases both the man and the process behind its creation. It captures the absurdity of the whole endeavor, but keeps it rooted in a touching reality, making it as tragic and poignant as it is hilarious. It’s an ode to creativity, to fighting for your dreams, that reminds us that people, as well as art, come in all shapes and forms, and while misunderstood, are no less worthy of respect and appreciation.
The Disaster Artist is released December 1st, (NY & LA), and December 8th (Nationwide).
