His sole project in 2007 was Matthew Vaughn's "Stardust", a fantasy adventure, based on Neil Gaiman's 1999 novel of the same name. He plays Captain Shakespeare, the leader of a ship. The film was generally well received, although one critic from "New York" magazine thought De Niro's performance was "god-awful – yet his gung-ho spirit wins him Brownie points". The following year, he starred in the police procedural thriller "Righteous Kill" opposite Al Pacino, both playing New York City detectives who investigate serial executions of criminals who escaped justice. The film's response was mainly disappointing; Peter Hartlaub of "San Francisco Chronicle" thought the story was unoriginal and De Niro lacked energy. The film grossed $78 million from a budget of $60 million. Next, he starred in "What Just Happened" (2008), a satirical comedy based on Art Linson's experiences as a producer in Hollywood. The film was screened at the 2008 Canne Film Festival as an out-of-competition entry. "The Sydney Morning Herald" opined that most reviewers gave the film a lukewarm reception because of the character he plays, which is "sympathetic" and quieter than his earlier roles. In 2009, he was cast as Frank Goode in the drama "Everybody's Fine", a remake of Giuseppe Tornatore's Italian film of the same name. Although the film's response was equally mixed, "The Guardian" critic praised De Niro for a "decent, watchable performance in a while".