You almost need to see "The Room" before seeing this film. To understand the curious story here is to understand how baffling such a movie is in the first place. It's a story of betrayal, jealousy, drugs, football, and green screens galore. It's a movie about everything and nothing, directed and starring one of Hollywood's most baffling creatures: Tommy Wiseau (here played by James Franco (who also directs)). A lot happens in the film, but the reason so many people love "The Room" is because of the very strange way you can watch it over and over. A film can be bad (trust me, it is), but if you are compelled to rewatch it, is it terrible by definition?
The story here shows Wiseau's rise to fame with the help of his friend and costar Greg Sestero (Dave Franco). The two meet in a run-of-the-mill acting class in which Tommy shows no fear in performing a monologue from Streetcar Named Desire without any understanding of the material. Greg, a shy wannabe, sees Tommy as a man with no limits, no fears. They become friends and ultimately move to Los Angeles. Greg, a model with boyish looks, quickly finds a talent agency. Tommy, a man of nondescript age and nationality (his accent is charming and utterly impossible to try and imitate) has no luck in the acting gig. One director tells him he's better suited to play the villain, to which Tommy replies "I'm no villain. I hero. You villain!"
The idea is suddenly struck upon: the two men will write and direct their own movie. One of the film's running gags is Tommy's seemingly infinite amount of money. Wiseau famously self-funded the shooting of "The Room" back in 2003 to the tune of nearly $6 million, including promotion, premieres, and purchasing both a 35mm camera AND one in high definition. The production goes as one might expect. Tommy is unexperienced in screenwriting, in casting, in directing, and in comprehension (his first take on screen takes over 70 takes and the final delivery is shockingly bad). We assume people let him go along with it because of the paychecks. Besides that, no one would suspect "The Room" would ever be seen at all.
The film is based on Sestero's nonfiction account of his relationship with Wiseau and the filming of the movie. Wiseau himself has stated that this film is "99.9%" accurate in how it captures the behind-the-scenes aspects. We really only have one man to thank for that, and it's James Franco. The actor has been great (127 Hours) and bad (Oz), but here Franco is electrifyingly good as Wiseau. Hidden behind a false nose and that perfectly-realized accent, Franco paints a picture of this man who is two thirds clueless and one third heart. Yes it's a comedic role, but there is such a focus on the screen at every moment. We see the passion Franco has for his portrayal, which in turn helps us understand how such a terrible film was ever created to begin with. This is sure to be Franco's second Oscar nomination.
If you've seen "The Room" in theaters at midnight then you know how the audience will react. So they were with "The Disaster Artist." Fans will recognize so many subtle jokes and easter eggs regarding Wiseau, but those not familiar with the cult hit will surely still enjoy the film just as much. It's a love story about following your dreams no matter what cost. Despite an odd introduction (in which celebrities talk about "The Room" to the camera for a few minutes... It's a redundant moment - one celebrity says "I wish I could see what it was like to be on this film set!" but all we need to do it watch the film to find out) and a hilarious but strange conclusion (in which actual scenes from the 2003 film are played against recreations starring Franco and others), but overall this is without a doubt one of the most entertaining films of the year. "What a story, Mark!"
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