By: Aaron Richardson, Staff Writer
When The Room came out in 2003, it was heralded as, perhaps, the worst movie ever made. Directed by Tommy Wiseau, starring Tommy Wiseau, and produced and written by Tommy Wiseau, The Room is nothing less than a fever dream of a man that seems entirely disconnected from reality. Journalist and critic Tom Bissell said, “It is like a movie made by an alien who has never seen a movie, but has had movies thoroughly explained to him.” Like many films that are critical flops, it lacked any redeeming qualities.
It is for these exact reasons that it has become a cult classic across the world. To this day, 14 years later, it is frequently shown as a part of film festivals and in private screenings in theatres across the world. It is a movie beyond explanation, made by a man beyond understanding.
The movie and its making were so phenomenally absurd that in 2013 Tommy Wiseau’s co-star Greg Sestero and Bissell wrote a book about his experience and friendship with Wiseau, as well as the making of the movie itself. The book quickly garnered critical acclaim, and in 2015 production began on a film adaptation of the book directed by and starring James Franco.
The Disaster Artist is still yet to be released, currently scheduled for a wide opening on December 8, 2017. Despite this, as part of the Rio Grind Film Festival, it was shown at a private screening at the Rio Theatre right here in Vancouver on Saturday, November 18.
As the true story about the making of the worst movie in the world, never before has something so good come from something so bad. The Disaster Artist is a character comedy. It is about Tommy Wiseau, a man who is beyond comprehension: because of which, much of the comedy comes from the ridiculous behavior of Wiseau, portrayed by James Franco. It is undeniably a hilarious depiction, and will keep you laughing all the way through, even if you haven’t seen The Room. This comedic accomplishment is impressive enough in itself. But what makes the movie exceptional is the way it does this while simultaneously humanizing Wiseau.
Anyone who has seen The Room or has done even a little research on Tommy Wiseau will be drowned with questions about the man. Every detail learned about him makes his life more unbelievable, and more ridiculous. In seeing The Room and learning about Wiseau, it is easy to distance yourself from him and to think of him as a man from a different world. He’s a man that’s so difficult to understand that it makes him even more difficult to empathize with, and makes it easier to laugh at him. As a result, it is easy to forget that The Room was a movie that he poured his heart and soul into making.
The Disaster Artist and Franco’s magnificent performance easily makes you laugh, while simultaneously riddling you with guilt for the very laughter it produced. This film makes you laugh at the ridiculous behaviour of a man it’s easy to think of as insane, while simultaneously reminding you of his humanity.
