On June 27th, 2003, one of the most revolutionary movies graced the big screen. Well, let me rephrase that… One of the most revolutionarily bad movies graced the big screen. It was called The Room and it starred Tommy Wiseau (who also happened to be the executive producer, director, and writer,) Greg Sestero, and Juliette Danielle.
Named “The Citizen Kane of Bad Movies,” The Room set a new standard for how bad a movie could actually be, and people (including myself) loved it. The Disaster Artist is not just a story about the making of The Room and how Tommy Wiseau’s vision actually came to be, but also that of friendship and realizing a dream.
It’s one of the best films of the year.
The Disaster Artist is directed by James Franco and also stars James Franco as Tommy Wiseau, an eccentric and rather odd aspiring actor, and Dave Franco as Greg Sestero, Tommy’s best friend and also an aspiring actor who clearly has a bit more of a shot in Hollywood.
I can’t really explain how well James Franco plays Wiseau. His character has a lot of mannerisms that take a truly skilled actor to emulate, and Franco does it damn near flawlessly. His posture, movement and of course, the accent are spot on and his performance truly is one that will never be forgotten. I can say with the utmost certainty that James Franco will be nominated for Best Actor for his role in The Disaster Artist.
I also think that Dave Franco deserves some credit for his role as Greg, as he also really adopts Greg Sestero’s mannerisms and posture and such. I feel his performance will be overshadowed by the brilliance of his brother’s, which is unfortunate because Dave Franco really does a great job in this film.
Dave and James Franco as Greg Sestero and Tommy Wiseau, A24
The performances are not the only thing I love about this film, but the underlying themes that run through the movie and how these themes are presented. One of the most prevalent themes throughout the movie is friendship and how it is tested throughout various trials.
Multiple times, Greg has to make a decision between the friendship with Tommy and other enticing things such as a relationship or his possible big break. The Disaster Artist strives to show that a strong bond between two people can develop amazing things, just as Tommy and Greg did in creating the cult classic.
The theme of living out a dream is also very clear throughout the film. We constantly see both Tommy and Greg talk about being rejected even though their dream is “be big Hollywood star” but they keep at it and never let anything, or anyone, keep them down.
Tommy also frequently mentions “the vision” and that the movie he and Greg make will be a masterpiece only if they work at it and have respect for said vision. The film succeeds in conveying that, with enough work and a clear vision, dreams can come true if one is committed enough.
The Disaster Artist also features a lot of sudden references to The Room which I found to be absolutely hilarious. This was definitely the funniest new movie I had seen all year, no question. However, I highly suggest that you watch The Room first so you can fully understand all the references (and how exactly far out and terrible the movie actually was.) After doing that, you’ll be able to enjoy the movie to its full extent.
Nonetheless, The Disaster Artist is a hilarious depiction of two aspiring actors and their dreams that should definitely be viewed by all, and, while The Academy will most likely disagree with me, I believe it’s worthy of a Best Picture nomination. Even if The Academy does not, no one can disagree with the fact that James Franco at least deserves a nomination for his performance. Check out The Room, then go see The Disaster Artist if you’re in need of some great laughs around finals week.
IS IT WORTH IT?
The Disaster Artist is an amazingly crafted comedy that features a near flawless performance from James Franco, and is, in my opinion, one of the best films of the year.
