The Disaster Artist has hit near 100% approval ratings by the critics on the Rotten Tomatoes website, and its national release scheduled for December 8th has 96% of Rotten Tomato followers chomping at the bit to see the movie. The early reviews are in from the critics and the movie is widely reported as being a unique kind of comedy that takes the viewer through the process of making a Hollywood quality movie.
OK, it’s not as simple as that. The movie kept the preview audiences laughing through a good bit of the movie, but maybe the reason is that they understand more about the movie making process than the average person. If that is the case, then those chomping at the bit are likely to be sorely disappointed.
One reason the movie works is because it goes into considerable detail, and through considerable pain, to communicate how difficult the movie making process is when going it separate from the experienced Hollywood producers. There is a staggering level of incompetence displayed by Tommy Wiseau, one of the duo who opts to give it a go without Hollywood’s help. Wiseau’s resume appears to have some teeth to it, but his actual experience comes into serious question throughout the movie.
Perhaps it is a lesson to the many amateur videographers who think that with the rise of Netflix and Amazon Indie movies that they too can have a realistic shot at making a mini-blockbuster. An old adage is that the funniest thing is the truth, which may account for the high levels of laughter from the early viewers. On the other hand, The Disaster Artist is made by no less than two men who have walked down this road — Dave and James Franco who are also the movie’s main characters.
Katie Walsh of the Tribune News Service says, “In a kooky yet vulnerable and heartfelt performance, Franco gets right at the heart of what makes Wiseau a true hero – his sheer willingness to try – and that is what makes ‘The Disaster Artist’ work so well.” Her definition of “hero” here might be a bit far fetched since it is difficult to see how a movie producer can be a hero. And this observation seems to reinforce the idea that the movie critics potentially see this movie in a much different light than the rest of us. For the viewer to be able to relate to a character they must find some meaningful connection, so it is likely to appeal to those entranced by the movie industry.
Or maybe, just maybe, the movie will succeed because of all the recent Hollywood hidden secrets that have now been smeared across virtually every website news and entertainment home page. Producers, actors, and directors are not looking good in the existing limelight. This movie may become popular because of its anti-Hollywood perspective on the movie industry. In that case Walsh’s observation would indeed be spot on, and calling Wiseau a hero would be right in line with that theme.
It has been pointed out that a movie about making a movie has been tried and refried many times over. In general the results have been mediocre. But it is said that in life, timing is everything. This movie may just be what the country needs to give us some hope for the future of the movie industry. Otherwise, there may be a lot more people standing in the unemployment lines.
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