THE DISASTER ARTIST (2017) — Sleeper Awakened

12/12/17 - The Disaster Artist (2017) - 5+/6-/10

Very few films in the past few years have I been more jazzed about seeing than this film. Unfortunately, it could not live up to the hype. This is a thoroughly enjoyable time, but as an expression of this story, it didn’t quite work perfectly. It was bizarre in a way, keeping me at arm’s length in a strange and fitting manner, almost recapturing that other-worldliness that The Room brings. But there is a conviction that is lacking. It’s a strange emptiness that permeates this film, conceptually and practically, while the source material gives its all soulfully.

It is funny, but I didn’t feel it was the laugh out loud riot fest that others experienced in the theater. When it made fun of The Room or the distinct recognition of being like the Room, it was thoroughly enjoyable,but it lacked the ability to walk or run on its own disassociated from poking that lovable bear.

There was a darkness and a drama that bubbled under the surface. Never sucking the joy, but they tried to a stronger emotional depth that I didn’t expect. But, the injection of that particular sharpness is intermittent and made the film feel very uneven. It struggled to codify that drama and milk it for what it needed.

James was transformative. He brought that creepy magic and alien oddity. He is THE reason to see this film, his presence being so idiosyncratic and intoxicating for Room fans. Unfortunately, his brother felt like a bit of suck on the film. Granted, he is playing a bad actor and thus there is a chicken/egg argument to be made, but the fact is he does not play off of James well and can’t carry the weight of what the story demands.

There is a reveling in the sorcery of Franco’s Tommy and the spirit of Tommy In general, but it is hard to identify with the characters outside of this particular movie making. Greg seemed aloof and acquiescent. What do we grasp onto other than Tommy’s weirdness, which isn’t enough to sustain the movie on its own.

The jokes seemed off the cuff and come up with on the set by the comedians. Funny, but a little less planned and special than I would have expected and wanted. Some of those moments of humor are hilarious, granted. It is a squeezing joy out of a love for The Room, rather than making its own thing, which I can’t decide is a positive or negative. I can say that the famous talking heads at the beginning of the film wasn’t funny or insightful, but just felt incongruous and anomalous. I HATED their (felt like) fake praise and askew adoration.

The ending felt manufactured and bogus, probably because it was. I understand that it was placed there to interpret the phenomenon cinematically , but there was an unearned quality to this resolution and a lack of believability. Pushing the Hollywood limits of the story made it emptier.

Pulled me to joy and dissatisfaction. Perhaps not as polarizing, but I was torn. I overall had a good time and fell in love with Franco’s Tommy persona. I was an easy mark for this fondness and I think Franco did a wonderful job there. It was in the story construction and directing that I think Franco missed the mark. His sensibilities and technique did not compliment the feature and left it flatter than I think it could have been. Average to pretty good, when it could have been remarkable… Or maybe there is only so much you can say about making the best worst movie of all time?