Review by Will Long

I’m just about ready to get a James-Franco-as-Tommy-Wiseau tattoo somewhere on my body.

In the early 2000s, Wiseau wrote, directed, produced, and starred in a film called THE ROOM that was intended to be a serious drama about relationships. That film went on to become known as one of the worst films ever created, and mostly because of Wiseau himself.

He is a bizarre man. He slurs his lines and had to dub over himself. Plot lines he wrote appear and disappear like vapor. THE ROOM is a mess, and because it is such a wild, unpredictable, and genuine mess, it is an absolute treasure to behold. I’ve seen it dozens of times and know most of the lines. I’ve even asked Tommy Wiseau at a live Q&A if he would rather be a wizard or a sorcerer. His response was unintelligible.

THE DISASTER ARTIST, directed by James Franco, is about the making of THE ROOM. Franco loses himself in the role, and becomes Tommy. Dave Franco plays Greg, and the chemistry between the two is palpable. Such an exceptional amount of attention to detail is paid that the movie almost feels like a documentary.

You don’t have to have seen THE ROOM to enjoy THE DISASTER ARTIST, but it makes the overall experience more immersive. I almost wish I could watch it for the first time now, post DISASTER ARTIST, with fresh eyes, more knowledge of the backstory of these odd people, and more insight into what went down behind the scenes.

All in all, the dichotomy of a very good film being made about a bad film culminates in a magical viewing experience. THE DISASTER ARTIST is divine.