The Disaster Artistis about the making ofThe Room, one of the “best bad movies” ever made. The story of how writer/director/producer/actorTommy Wiseauand his friendGreg Sesteromade this durable piece of shlock has its own legend, andJames Franco’s film, based off Sestero’s book of the same name, is a loving tribute to both their friendship and to the movie itself.
But do you have to seeThe Roomto appreicateThe Disaster Artist? That’s where it gets a bit tricky?
On the whole, Franco and writersScott Neustadter&Michael H. Weberhave created a film that’s strong enough to stand on its own. Even if you never seeThe Room, you’ll understand that Sestero is an aspiring, handsome actor who becomes friends with the more confident, slightly unhinged Wiseau. You’ll see that Wiseau is oddly secretive, frequently consumed by his own insecurities, and completely inept when it comes to filmmaking, writing, acting, or any artistic endeavor. But because the friendship between Sestero and Wiseau is the core of the movie, then you don’t need to be well-versed inThe Roomto appreciate the emotional or comedic stakes ofThe Disaster Artist.
That being said, having seenThe Disaster Artistwith two audiences, one comprised of people who clearly knew the film backwards and forwards, those who are fans ofThe Roomwill get more out ofThe Disaster Artistbecause there are so many callbacks to how certain scenes came about. You’re basically getting “more” of something you already love by having a group of talented comedic actors poke fun at the incompetence of the production, or rather, Wiseau’s inability to do anything right from delivering his lines to writing the script to doing a sex scene.
But chances are you’re not going to become a die-hard fan ofThe Roomin the next few weeks, so if you want to be best prepared forThe Disaster Artist, what’s the best way to view Wiseau’s movie? Should you see it at a boisterous screening filled with fans who know all the audience-participation bits, or should you watch it in the privacy of your own home?
The answer lies in between. You definitely shouldn’t make your first viewing ofThe Rooman audience-participation screening. Those can be a blast once you know the basic beats of the film, but with people shouting and joking over every line, you won’t be able to get a baseline of what’s going on. However,The Roomis kind of a slog if you watch it on your own because while it’s certainly terrible and bizarre, it’s not really outlandish enough to hold your attention. The plot is about a guy, Johnny (played by Wiseau), who everyone thinks is great, and then his girlfriend cheats on him with his best friend. It’s a simple story told in the worst way possible.
The ideal way to watchThe Roomfor the first time is to track down a copy (the film is tough to find streaming, but you can get the DVD for $11 on Amazon), and then get together with a group of friends, preferably folks who haven’t seen the film either. That way, you can poke fun of the movie with likeminded folks, but not lose track of what’s happening.
Keep in mind that viewingThe Roomisn’t mandatory, and you should seeThe Disaster Artisteven if you haven’t seenThe Room. You’ll just get slightly more out ofThe Disaster Artistif you’ve seen Wiseau’s epic misfire.
Just a minor note: If you start the movie and you see Jacob Tremblay and Brie Larson, you messed up.
