Review of What Just Happened (2008) by David Ray G — 04 Mar 2009

For a movie directed by one of my favorite directors and with a cast like the one included in this film one can't help but having high expectations -a mistake many people often make. I truly expected to see something worthwhile, something that I could call, "A great movie." No such luck.

Of course, performances and direction are all that is going for this movie, and even that in cases is inadequate. Robert DeNiro, Catherine Keener and Bruce Willis -being in my opinion the main cast- do a phenomenal job. The direction, screenplay and photography demanding attention as well, since it's Barry Levinson we're talking about.

On the other hand, this film is quite futile. You can't sympathize with any of the characters by an means possible, you find yourself not caring of the outcome or where the film is really going, the script -while it had the potential to be dynamite- collapses like a house of cards, it is flawed and holed through and through. Just a Last Tycoon/Robert Altman wannabe little bestowed as Hollywood independent movie. Offers no knowledge, no entertainment, no insight. It's too tiring, too pointless, too otiose. Or maybe I'm just crazy and this movie is a masterpiece and I missed the point. Either the case, I didn't like it.