Even without creating the groundbreaking and absurd masterpiece "The Room," Tommy Wiseau is a living reality show star with a style and appearance comparable to Ozzy Osbourne. Both on and off the screen, Wiseau exudes a charm that genuinely elicits laughter. His enigmatic nature goes beyond his creation, as he has chosen to keep various personal details—such as his true nationality, age, and the source of his finances—shrouded in mystery. This aura of eccentricity surrounding him is vividly captured by Tom Bissell, one of the original authors of "The Disaster Artist." Bissell's description of "The Room" as a creation resembling the work of an alien unfamiliar with movies, crafting it solely based on a meticulous explanation of what movies entail, further accentuates Wiseau's otherworldly and unique approach to filmmaking.
There have been speculations about Tommy Wiseau's past, with some even pondering the possibility of a car accident akin to James Dean's, resulting in potential facial nerve damage similar to what's portrayed in the character of Milo Ventimiglia in "Heroes." Some theorize that such an incident might have impacted Wiseau's cognitive processes, leading to a distortion in his perception of age. This distortion could be behind his inability to discern age gaps accurately, blurring distinctions between ages like 16 and 26, or 26 and 46. This quirk might have fueled an endless loop of self-awareness, where Wiseau sees himself as a superstar, feeling that the world's failure to recognize him is a tremendous oversight. Unlike many equally passionate dreamers in Hollywood, Wiseau seems to have the means to afford his aspirations, setting him apart from those who might share similar obsessions but lack the financial resources to chase their dreams.
In the face of Tommy Wiseau's financially supported paranoid narcissism, the flaws within "The Room" itself appear relatively insignificant. Surprisingly, Wiseau's financial backing (or rather, his lack of conventional filmmaking sensibilities) elevates "The Room" to at least the standard of a third-rate soap opera in terms of production quality. Superficial elements like costumes, lighting, props, sound effects, and makeup, while not flawless, don't merit as harsh a dismissal as seen in "The Birds: Shock and Terror." Apart from Wiseau himself, the cast demonstrates a level of acting skill that surpasses mere proficiency. Consequently, the shortcomings present in "The Room" pale in comparison to the overpowering presence of Wiseau's financially bolstered, self-absorbed narcissism. This suggests that despite the film's flaws, its production value manages to attain a certain baseline due to Wiseau's backing, albeit overshadowed by his eccentricity and singular focus on himself.
Therefore, the shooting process of "The Room" cannot be defined by a crude classification such as "small characters pursuing dreams" as portrayed in "The Disaster Artist." The story focused on in "The Disaster Artist" is not about "dreams" but rather about an ordinary person smearing his confusion and absurdity, born out of ignorance, arrogance, stupidity, and passion (supported by wealth and successive desires for power), onto the audience. However, due to Wiseau 's mystery, difficulty to grasp, and the mixture of mockery, pity, and even sympathy and cheers he provokes, we often overlook this point. It's like any serious commentary on "The Room" is often drowned out by laughter. The audience's entry point can only be Dave's portrayal of Greg. If the story logic is intricately presented, showing how he and Wiseau tangle in Hollywood according to their respective logics, intertwining their lives, the movie would be more exciting. Although Dave's acting and Greg's aura may not match up to Wiseau 's on-stage performance.
In short, our love for "The Room" initially arises from a simple understanding: How can everything be so wrong and so right?
The sense of chaos, aptly depicted by a joke from British comedy theorist Jimmy Carr, can be likened to a situation where one person confronts another in a parking lot, exclaiming, "How dare you take up a disabled parking space, you fool!" The effect generated by "The Room" is akin to the frustration of having your designated parking spot for the disabled occupied by someone even more clueless. This individual effortlessly maneuvers their vehicle into the spot, thoroughly enjoying this mundane daily activity. You're left with the realization that, in that moment, there's nothing more perfect to them than executing that reverse parking maneuver.
The experience of being simultaneously offended and delighted by a groundbreaking film like "The Room" seems to poke fun at our cultivated taste in movies. It's a high-handed and tormenting sensation, yet we find ourselves cheering and reveling in its uniqueness. However, to truly appreciate this film, one must possess substantial film knowledge and a refined taste. Fans of "The Room" understand the subtle distinction between a "bad film" and a "cult film." By claiming allegiance to this movie, they're asserting their capacity to appreciate its avant-garde spirit and the intricate cult film complexities embedded within—a sort of insider joke understood only by those in the know.
Where "The Disaster Artist" falls short is precisely in the genius subversion of "The Room" and the pathological self-love of Creepy Dude himself. Franco turns "The Disaster Artist" into a more mainstream and straightforward inside joke, a fan's tribute to the film. Bluntly speaking, the protagonist is not miserable enough, not evil enough; more elegantly put, Franco fails to thoroughly examine Wiseau's self-deception, vanity, disregard for worldly love and affirmation, and the delusional personal charm he presents in "The Room." The simplest question is, after watching "The Disaster Artist," do you have a deeper understanding of Wiseau, or do you feel that any character in the film could (even if attempting) comprehend Wiseau?
In "The Disaster Artist," there are only sporadic glimpses into the non-comedic and deeper aspects of the rest of the cast and crew aside from the memorable moment of the elderly lady playing Lisa's mother expressing that sentiment about the set. The film merely scratches the surface, briefly touching upon the anxiety, unease, and suspicions that existed within the crew during the making of “The Room.” The appeal of "The Disaster Artist" lies in its meticulously crafted, condensed portrayal of reality, brimming with emotions but deliberately vague on specific details. Much like the dynamics during the filming of "The Room," the narrative in "The Disaster Artist" predominantly revolves around Franco's portrayal of Wiseau or Wiseau himself, as the central star, overshadowing the rest of the cast and crew, who are depicted as relatively unremarkable in comparison.
After all, seeing "The Disaster Artist" nominated for Best Picture is indeed a delightfully disastrous thing.
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