A Reel Review: THE DISASTER ARTIST

In 2003, eccentric oddball Tommy Wiseau wrote, directed, produced, and starred in THE ROOM…which since then has gone on to be labeled as one of the worst movies of all time. With its bizarre, unconventional storytelling, technical errors, and terrible acting, the film has moved into a cult-favorite status; so bad it’s great to enjoy, with midnight shows and drinking-party screenings reveling in its shittiness. The making of the film has been told in a book, and this is the basis for James Franco’s THE DISASTER ARTIST.

Greg (Dave Franco), is a struggling, wanna-be actor who meets Tommy (James Franco), who is an odd bird with quirky behavior, a hidden past, and a mysterious bottom-less pit of income. When the two fail to get their acting careers started, they set out to make a film on their own.

THE DISASTER ARTIST doesn’t focus on the making of THE ROOM as much as it does its two main characters; the baby-faced and new-to-the-world Greg, and the older yet on-his-own-planet Tommy. The film almost sets itself up as a veiled fairy tale, with Greg being guided though his journey by an otherworldly being in the form of Tommy. But the twist here is that the fairy godmother is as clueless as the child; Tommy has terrible social skills, speaks in broken English, and barely understands how the world works…let alone how to put a film together. Right away, the matchup between the two is a huge draw.

When the film moves into the production of THE GREEN ROOM, things get even weirder as Tommy, playing the role of lead actor and director, proves how far over his head he is with the venture. He shows up late, can’t remember lines, and frequently clashes with the crew. But beyond all that THE DISASTER ARTIST is really exploring the dreams of the dreamers; Tommy may be terrible at making movies but his efforts are very earnest and honest. The film explores the familiar question of what is art and who gets to say if it is or not…all while coming back to the area of the two best friends who have their ups and downs trying to make that art.

Director James Franco, who ironically is also wearing more than one hat here, keeps the pacing brisk and the humor in big doses. The film is extremely funny, but at the same time manages to really feel Tommy and Greg’s pain when the inevitable eventually happens. Dave Porter’s score is excellent.

James Franco is excellent in the role as Tommy, and it’s almost eerie just how much he looks and sounds like the man. When he acts like an ass, we hate him, and when he fails we suddenly feel sorry for him…and Franco sells it every time. By far this a role to remind us just how great Franco can be. His brother Dave is equally effective, and works well playing the fresh-faced newbie and showing frustration with Tommy’s wacky behavior. Seth Rogen drops in as a frustrated crew member who is just trying to keep the movie production going, and is very good, as is Alison Brie as Greg’s love interest.

The finale drives home the point of sticking with our dreams and with the people who help us get there. It’s a tad heavy-handed but it works, and THE DISASTER ARTIST turns into a very satisfying film experience. It may be based on something awful, but it lands as something wonderful.

BOTTOM LINE: See it