Wiseau Serious

Rating: 7/10 (10 December 2017)

If you are aware of the broader catalogue of James Franco's filmmaking decisions, you should appreciate him as the lead of "The Disaster Artist." As a director, Franco has made bold and ambitious decisions that would (or should) be considered senseless by even the best of filmmakers. Great stories like "As I lay Dying" by Faulkner, and "Child of God" by Cormac McCarthy make for absorbing and introspective reading, but are almost untranslatable to screen. Franco throws himself heedlessly and enthusiastically into these projects with every intention of honoring his adored authors. The results have stacked up to a litany of adaptations that are generously called pretentious, and more often considered self- serving passion projects by an ill- equipped visionary. One could see why Franco found a kindred spirit in the tragically inept creator of "The Room", Tommy Wiseau.
"The Room" is an un-spoilable movie. There isn't a coherent plot to ruin. It is infamous for all the reasons a filmmaker would hope their film wouldn't gain notoriety. Incomprehensible melodrama, atrocious acting, baffling editing, and otherworldly dialogue are all slapped together in a film that should be unwatchable. The reason it has gained a loyal cult following and become endearing is an unmistakable sincerity. Each frame shows a filmmaker hopelessly baring his soul while making every mistake in the book. Had this been a contemptuously produced project by a creator who truly didn't care, we might feel affronted for the gall. With Tommy, the audience may laugh at him for the duration, but they also ardently thank him for the experience. We can hardly conceive of a picture made with so little self-awareness and so much innocence. "The Disaster Artist", based on the book of the same name, is the first-hand account of "The Room's" creation by its 2nd lead, Greg Sestero.
Greg (Dave Franco) is a 19-year-old dreamer from San Francisco in 1998. He struggles to utter syllables in his local acting classes and hopes to be part of the movies in some capacity, appropriately naïve for his age. It is there he meets the enigmatic and marvelously eccentric Tommy (James Franco). Greg overthinks every line in his rehearsals while Tommy fearlessly gives zero thought into every line he bellows. The sheer confidence of Tommy is attractive. Based on the reaction Tommy gives to Greg's attention, you'd think it was the first person that ever showed him interest. Tommy orders everything on the menu when they go out, and drives a $50,000 car with literally no backstory. When they toy with the idea of venturing to Hollywood to follow their dreams, Tommy reveals he already has a place, unused for months, in the heart of L.A. for no logical reason. Money is never an issue. It's as if Greg conceived an imaginary friend that came to life before he was finished thinking through the details.
Once in Hollywood, the duo quickly find that wanting the dream isn't enough to gain traction in the cynical city. Months pass without the promise of work and still nothing comes to light to explain who or what the hell Tommy is. He maintains lies about his age and citizenship, making for hilarious moments where he thinks he's got everyone fooled. The depths of Tommy's pockets grow in scope when he decides to write, produce, and direct his own film having exhausted all other prospects. Acting in the lead role, of course.
The production of "The Room" is the most entertaining act of the movie, but it's not its heart. We find that Tommy deals with challenges with less maturity than his teenage (now 23-year-old) co- star. The lovable qualities of Wiseau start to teeter when his childlike jealousy and frustrations mold him into a much less sympathetic character. I suppose it's all necessary so that we can feel justified in our glee of laughing "at" Tommy and not feeling too guilty about it. Supporting actors on the project like Seth Rogan, Aria Gaynor, Josh Hutcherson and Alison Brie get to make all the side comments during production that we all said to each other in the theater when first seeing the finished project.
It may not be a high compliment to say that Franco is more suited to adapting a book based on "The Citizen Kane of Bad Movies" than Steinbeck, but he deserves something for the well-executed effort. Franco goes full method in his approach to portraying Wiseau, all while directing himself, directing himself, and treating the character with dignity. For those who can't appreciate the low- stakes juggling act, "Leave your stupid comments in your pocket!"