Review of What Just Happened (2008) by Justin M — 26 Feb 2009

Yes, this is another in a long line of satirical Hollywood comedies. It isn't the meanest or funniest, but it might just be the most realistic. Smart, slick, and movie-savvy in the extreme, this is as "inside baseball" as it gets.

If your not familiar with Hollywood's ways, or if you've never seen an episode of HBO's 'Entourage', you might be lost here. Director Barry Levinson, working from a script by real-life producer Art Linson (adapting his own memoir), gives us a believable slice-of-Hollywood-life story about what a film producer REALLY does.

Robert De Niro plays this producer the only way that makes sense: unflappable. This wise pro is juggling so much in his life yet he takes it all in stride, playing all of it off as business as usual. The panic is there, though, and De Niro is great at showing what it takes to keep it at bay.

Bruce Willis and Sean Penn, playing themselves, riff on their superstar personas with sharp precision and never reduce themselves to broad goofs. Levinson and Linson have fun with the ins and outs of movie-making and promotion, but play it straight for the most part.

It's not original or great, and it's won't appeal to all tastes. But if you're familiar with the business of Tinseltown, this will have you chuckling at the modern reality of showbiz.