I just watched “The Disaster Artist” and I have a theory… Tommy isn’t real. Don’t worry, I’m kidding. This isn’t another theory article. I saw “The Room,” the movie in which “The Disaster Artist” details the making of, about 6 years ago and could not contain my laughter. It is not great by any means, but there’s definitely worse out there, so it has that going for it. And like its source, “The Disaster Artist” isn’t great, but there’s worse out there, so it has that going for it.

I did very much, in fact, enjoy “The Disaster Artist.” One watches “The Room” and laughs at the “it’s so bad its good” quality of the film, with fans celebrating at midnight showings reciting dialogue and throwing spoons at the screen akin to people interacting with “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

The experience of seeing “The Room” live with the audience participation is according to some, the best experience of their life. I spoke with one fan and he said: “I’ve seen a lot of movies in the theater; then I saw ‘The Room,’ and I had almost a religious experience.” (I didn’t speak with any fans; this is a made up quote).

“The Disaster Artist” opens on several somewhat celebrities talking about how wonderful “The Room” is in a very coy fashion, serving as a prologue before we meet Greg/Mark (Dave Franco) and Tommy/Johnny (James Franco). The entire First Act is fairly rushed and personally, doesn’t work for me. We see their first meeting, a few hangouts, and then Greg decides to move in with Tommy.

Considering he was a struggling actor, it would have been better to see him failing for several minutes, without Tommy even being introduced. Give us some time to relate and get to know Greg before we see how this oddly charismatic enigma comes into his life. This, coupled with additional time spent on their new developing friendship would have helped the introduction. But once the Second Act hits, the film really starts to shine.

I’m not a James Franco fan, but he really does a great job in this movie. I think the accent is weak, and only slightly resembles Tommy Wiseau’s real-life voice, but he carries so much emotion in his death stare and his sad monologues. He constantly exclaims how everyone is betraying him. Maybe, these lines are only said to mirror the words of Johnny in “The Room” where he says

“Everybody betrayed me! I fed up with this world”

as a way to indicate art imitating life (as the movie plays with the idea that “The Room” was autobiographical of Tommy Wiseau’s sadness). (Also, “I fed,” is not a typo, that is the way the line is said in “The Room). Or maybe it was made up for added drama. I haven’t read the book “The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside ‘The Room’ The Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made” in which this film is based, but I read a little and know that the film took liberties.

Greg getting a chance to appear on “Malcolm In The Middle” (and the plot of him shaving his beard) never happened. The way Tommy and Greg came to live together is also different. In fact, someone else was cast to play Mark before Tommy Wiseau convinced Greg to do it. But all of that is irrelevant because those moments when Tommy is so utterly broken and scared as seen in “The Disaster Artist” are the moments when James Franco really shines and gives the film its heart.

Another liberty is the films ending; the “cheer up” speech Greg gives Tommy at the premier apparently never happened. But it is a bittersweet scene showing how these two, despite its weirdness, really had a friendship and a brotherly bond with each other.

It’s beautiful to watch as doe-eyed Tommy sees the audience finding joy and laughter in his movie, despite its intention of it being a drama. The irony too is that the audience is chanting encouragement for his on-screen counterpart Johnny to kill himself in their laughter, and that’s when we see Tommy smile.

In some scenes, it seems that Tommy is in love with Greg. In others, he admires him, finding a kinship in their goals and journey. Then there are times where he acts like a big brother of sorts. And finally, we have moments when it is so painfully obvious that Tommy just desperately wants friendship and for someone to care about him.

All of the above may be true in some capacity. Tommy being in love with Greg is troublesome to watch since the actors are brothers in real life, but ignoring that, all of the reasons help to shape Tommy’s character and help outline his bitter loneliness.

Whenever asked about “The Room,” real-life Tommy Wiseau says something along the lines of how it is meant to represent life and he just wants people to enjoy the movie. If they’re laughing, that’s what he cares about because the world can be a better place if we’re all happy. “The Disaster Artist” mentions this idea throughout, and that is really what the film is about; becoming happy, and being happy to share that happiness.

By the way, “Room” starring Brie Larson, is NOT the same thing as “The Room.” I hope no one was confused by that.