Not Quite as Fun as Watching "The Room" Itself

Rating: 7/10 (13 December 2017)

"The Disaster Artist" begins with some recognizable entertainers talking about Tommy Wiseau and his legendary cult classic terrible movie "The Room" and why such a bad movie is so beloved. The tone of that opening segment carries throughout the film. James Franco, who plays Wiseau with equal parts satire and sincerity, clearly admires the man even while acknowledging his flaws, and the whole movie feels like an inside joke in which the people in it are both laughing at and with Wiseau and his creation.
It's probably not a great sign that the best parts of "The Disaster Artist" are those in which Franco and company recreate the making of "The Room." If you've seen it, then of course these scenes are hilarious, and the fun comes in seeing how right they get it. The rest of the film is about Wiseau and his relationship with Greg Sestero, played by Franco's brother Dave, and either because Franco isn't a good enough actor, or because Wiseau isn't as interesting a character as people want to think he is, I found these parts to be far less entertaining.
I can't even imagine how "The Disaster Artist" would play for someone who hasn't seen "The Room." It's such a niche film. And while I thoroughly enjoyed "The Disaster Artist" and think it's a good film, it really just made me want to watch "The Room" again. I'm not sure which film should be more complimented by that statement.
Grade: A-