The Disaster Artist

The Disaster Artist tells the story of how The Room – a film so bad, yet so uniquely brilliant, that it has earned a cult following – was brought into existence by the enigmatic Tommy Wiseau.

When the young but hesitant aspiring actor Greg Sestero (Dave Franco) is blown away by a daring and unforgettable performance by Wiseau (James Franco) at an acting class, an unlikely friendship is born. Tommy and Greg soon move to Hollywood to pursue their dreams, only for fame to evade them. Frustrated, they decide instead to make their own movie, with Tommy as writer, director, producer, and star, and Greg co-starring. Film production, however, is not as easy as expected, with Tommy’s abrasive style, and questions about his mysterious past and seemingly endless supply of money, threatening to tear the film, and their friendship, apart.

James Franco – who, somewhat ironically, also directed and produced the film – does an outstanding job bringing Tommy Wiseau to life. His performance is sympathetic and believable, and treats Wiseau as the complex character that he is, rather than reducing him to a caricature.

Franco, alongside the rest of the terrific cast, should be praised for making The Disaster Artist so incredibly funny. The scenes depicting the making of The Room are particularly brilliant, and will delight longstanding followers of the film and those who have never seen it in equal measure. The Disaster Artist is also unexpectedly heart-warming, with the friendship between Greg and Tommy underpinning the entire film. Overall, The Disaster Artist is a great, unmissable film that deserves very ‘hi marks’ indeed.