Review of The Disaster Artist (2017) by Bryan T — 28 Dec 2017

I think James Franco is fine, in some things. I know some people are very annoyed at his 'renaissance man' persona - soap operas and art projects and the like. I think he's been an enjoyable enough presence in the comedies I've seen him in.

Tommy Wiseau's 'The Room,' on the other hand, became a mild obsession of mine when I discovered it. I really enjoy MST3K style, 'so bad it's good,' stuff. 'The Room,' is remarkably, entertainingly bad.

So - I really didn't know what to expect from Franco's take on the making of that fiasco. What I got was, to my mind, one of the very best films of the year. Darkly comic & oddly sweet, 'The Disaster Artist,' is to 'The Room,' what 'Ed Wood,' is to 'Plan Nine from Outer Space.' It's a satire, a love letter, and a stand-alone film all at once. Franco's Wiseau is inspired, and his younger brother's Greg Sestero is remarkably nuanced.

The elder Franco, as director, finds a very specific, high-wire tone, and walks it carefully to the cathartic end (understandably one of the more heavily fictionalized elements of this mostly true story.).

I loved this movie, but I already knew about the beautiful disaster that is 'The Room.' I truly think I would have loved 'The Disaster Artist,' if I hadn't.