★★★★ – “Franco disappears into his greatest performance as the mysterious Tommy Wiseau.”
The Disaster Artist is directed by James Franco and stars Dave Franco, James Franco, Seth Rogen, Paul Scheer, Alison Brie, Ari Graynor, Josh Hutcherson and Jacki Weaver.
When Greg Sestero, an aspiring film actor, meets the weird and mysterious Tommy Wiseau in an acting class, they form a unique friendship and travel to Hollywood to make their dreams come true. (15 cert; 103 mins)
Over a decade ago, something truly remarkable happened. The Room, one of the best worst movies ever, was released in a single theatre for two weeks. Not surprisingly, the reason The Room lasted two weeks in that theatre was because a “young” man; Tommy Wiseau, paid the theatre to keep it running. Surprisingly, his disasterpiece became a sensation and has garnered a huge cult status over the years. A few years ago, Greg Sestero (who played Mark in The Room) published a book – “The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made” – documenting his life and eventual meeting with Tommy, interweaved with stories from the set. Now that book has been adapted into, as Tommy would say, real Hollywood movie; The Disaster Artist.
Having watched The Room and reading the book about its creation, I was incredibly excited to hear the news of a film being made, focusing on the relationship between the two friends. What sucked was when I realised I’d be travelling 12 miles out to see this film. Unfortunately, the UK has had a lack of screenings for The Disaster Artist, but I just had to see it, so I made the effort. It was worth it. The guys working on this film all have a great amount of respect for Tommy and his unstoppable drive to make it in Hollywood, and it shows. James Franco directs with subtlety and finesse but it’s his portrayal of Tommy that struck a chord with me. He completely disappears into his performance, delivering an unforgettable act that absolutely nails the personality and sells the affect Tommy had on people. Dave Franco provides a likeable lead as Greg, who has the same dream as Tommy; to be a Hollywood star. Having two real-life brothers play two best friends was a great choice. The Franco’s have a brotherly bond that excels further on-screen and they both make The Disaster Artist a believable (as unbelievable as it is) and compelling drama.
The film really focuses on the two aforementioned, but the surrounding cast is just as brilliant. Seth Rogen, Paul Scheer, Alison Brie, Josh Hutcherson, Ari Graynor, Jacki Weaver and anyone else I’m forgetting to mention are important to the story and bring greatness to the set within the set. The same goes for the crew who have worked incredibly hard to tell this story right. To respect these talented folk properly, stay through the credits because there are some insanely good side-by-side scene recreations. It wouldn’t surprise me if they shot these on both digital and 35mm like Tommy did with The Room, that’s how painfully accurate they are.
Dave Porter’s original score is surprisingly very present in the film, which for comedies is somewhat unheard of. Due to its dramatic nature, though, The Disaster Artist required something a little more memorable. Porter presents an inspiring and uplifting score that captures the tone perfectly right up into the credits.
In terms of story, The Disaster Artist is fairly faithful to the source material. There are some moments overlooked, such as Tommy’s awful behaviour and attitude on-set (though they do show some of this briefly), his suicidal period leading to his disappearance, and even the original casting of Mark. I was somewhat disappointed but then I realised what I was watching was real enough that it didn’t subtract from any of my enjoyment. Greg’s intricate explanation and description of these events are definitely worth reading, though, so I recommend buying his book right away. What I did like about this film was how Franco decides to add emphasis to Tommy’s dream and create a sort of likeable charm that pays off during the premiere/auditorium scene in the final act. It was one of the best moments in the film and it really hits you. The Room is Tommy’s baby. It’s his life. I liked Franco’s direction to respect that.
Verdict; Though respectful, Franco isn’t afraid to show the darkness looming over Tommy Wiseau, as he disappears into his greatest performance yet. This may well be one of the best biopics I’ve seen; a truly remarkable story.
The Disaster Artist – ★★★★ (8/10)
Viewed by Taryll 