The Disaster Artist

Director: James Franco James Franco

Overview

The Disaster Artist details the incredible true story behind the making of The Room, a 2003 film that quickly became a cult hit due to its reputation as "the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made." This comedy-drama chronicles its production, and how it emerged from the friendship between weirdo auteur Tommy Wiseau (James Franco) and struggling actor Greg Sestero (Dave Franco). Seth Rogen, Ari Graynor, Alison Brie, Jacki Weaver, and Josh Hutcherson co-star. James Franco also directed.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/13/2018
UPC:	0031398278801
Original Release:	2017
Rating:	R
Source:	LIONSGATE - 600000-AEC LGE
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:44:00
Sales rank:	48,559

Special Features

Gag Reel; Audio Commentary with Director James Franco, Dave Franco, Tommy Wiseau, Greg Sestero; Oh, Hi Mark!: Making a Disaster; Directing a Disaster; Just a Guy Learning on a Wall: Getting to Know Tommy ; Theatrical Trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

James Franco	Tommy Wiseau,Greg Sestero
Seth Rogen	Sandy Schklair
Josh Hutcherson	Philip Haldiman
Alison Brie	Amber
Zac Efron	Dan Janjigian
Jacki Weaver	Carolyn Minnott
Ari Graynor	Juliette Danielle
Bryan Cranston	Bryan Cranston
Sharon Stone	Iris Burton
Melanie Griffith	Jean Shelton
Jason Mantzoukas	Peter
Hannibal Buress	Bill Meurer
Paul Scheer	Raphael Smadja
Sugar Lyn Beard	Bonnita Boudreau
Zoey Deutch	Bobbi
Lizzy Caplan	Herself
Kristen Bell	Herself
Adam Scott	Himself
Zach Braff	Himself
J.J. Abrams	Himself
Megan Mullally	madame Sestero
Andrew Santino	Scott Holmes
June Diane Raphael	'Michelle' / Robyn
Nathan Fielder	'Peter' / Kyle Vogt
Joe Mande	Todd
Charlyne Yi	Safoya
Jessie Ennis	Receptionist
Lauren Ash	Florist 'Erin'
Bob Odenkirk	Stanislavsky Teacher
Megan Ferguson	Jessie
Randall Park	Male Actor
Kate Upton	Actor
Jerrod Carmichael	Actor
Dave Porter	Composer
Actor	Actor
Judd Apatow	Actor

Technical Credits

Scott Neustadter

Michael H. Weber

Vince Jolivette	Producer
Evan Goldberg	Producer
Ashleigh Erwin	Producer
Scott Neustadter	Screenwriter,Executive Producer,Executive Producer
Michael H. Weber	Screenwriter,Executive Producer
Richard Brener	Executive Producer,Producer
Toby Emmerich	Executive Producer
Michael Disco	Executive Producer,Producer
Joseph Drake	Executive Producer
Nathan Kahane	Executive Producer
Roy Lee	Executive Producer
Alex McAtee	Executive Producer
John Powers Middleton	Executive Producer
Hans Ritter	Executive Producer
Erin Westerman	Executive Producer
James Franco	Director,Producer
Seth Rogen	Producer
James Weaver	Producer

Editorial Reviews

The Disaster Artist is a good movie about a bad movie -- said bad movie is the real-life, stranger-than-fiction film The Room -- and it chronicles the making of writer/director/producer/star Tommy Wiseau's 2003 magnum opus through the eyes of his best friend and collaborator, Greg Sestero. While the farcical behind-the-scenes antics of The Room are enough to make this a delightful comedy of errors, and the filmmakers add context at the beginning and end for neophytes, viewers should probably see The Room at least once before watching The Disaster Artist. First, "the greatest bad film ever made" must be seen to believe the depths of its awfulness. In addition, some of The Disaster Artist's best comedy bits are the subtle references and visual cues regarding how Wiseau (played here by James Franco) and Sestero (Dave Franco) got the ideas for iconic moments in The Room, which only those familiar with the significance of spoons and footballs will appreciate. Frankly, The Disaster Artist is such a painstakingly accurate recreation of the events and people involved that it can only really be appreciated in comparison to the original. In fact, The Disaster Artist seems aware of this itself. At the end, the film includes side-by-side contrasts of the original shots and Artist's reenactments, which are truly striking in their loving attention to detail, from the mismatched costuming to the bad camera angles to the stiff line readings. Because of this reverence, no role in the movie is a throwaway part. Every member of The Room's cast and crew in Artist is portrayed by a notable actor or comedian who nails his or her contribution to the abysmal final product, with Zac Efron and Josh Hutcherson proving surprising standouts during their brief scenes. The rest of the cast excel at playing it straight and making incredulous reaction faces while watching James Franco let loose as Wiseau. Franco is the funniest he's been in years here, delivering his ludicrous lines to maximum comedic effect without becoming a caricature. The elder Franco brother's nuanced performance transcends cheap impression and becomes a form of embodiment; on top of nailing Wiseau's baffling accent and cadence, Franco contorts his body to mimic Wiseau's awkward way of moving, which does as much as the dialogue to communicate how the aspiring actor is literally out of step with the rest of the world. Franco, who also directed the film, is the perfect choice to play Wiseau, as the pair are eccentric, multihyphenate kindred spirits whose ambitious art is often an…acquired taste. Even under prosthetics, Franco can still convey enough charm and earnestness with a crooked, kilowatt smile that Wiseau remains endearing to Sestero and the audience despite his more unsavory antics. Without that grin, Franco's half-lidded looks would seem sinister, betraying Wiseau's paranoia and selfishness. Knowing the real-life fate of The Room and Wiseau and Sestero's friendship beforehand somewhat softens the blows of Wiseau's misogyny and his abuse of his friends and co-workers, keeping him from becoming the full-blown villain that he so fears. Instead, most of his sins are forgiven and his overall image is that of a peculiar phoenix rising from the ashes of epic failure. In The Disaster Artist, he comes across as the legendary folk hero he's since become to superfans in real life -- a man who decided to build his own house (and alley) when he couldn't get a foot in the door. As Hollywood continues to come under fire for being an exclusive, elitist club, an unconventional, enigmatic immigrant who befriends an All-American guy and makes his own way because rather than in spite of his differences and shortcomings is a hero more and more fans will want to celebrate.