Category: Drama
When it comes to bad movies, they're typically harmless and will be quickly forgotten about before too long. However, some become legendary, such as Manos: The Hands of Fate, Plan 9 from Outer Space, or Troll 2. Enter Tommy Wiseau, a man of mysterious origins who had dreams of making it big in Hollywood. After seeing 1999's The Talented Mr. Ripley, Wiseau was inspired to write a stageplay that was quickly rejected. Then, he tried adapting it to a novel, which was also rejected, so he decided to make a movie instead. After acquiring a $6 million budget, a mystery yet to be solved, he set out to make his masterpiece. Four months of agonizing shooting followed, plagued with issues like last-minute replacements, poor decisions, and crew members walking off. With everything said and done, Tommy Wiseau's vanity project, The Room, was released in 2003, and the rest is history.
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Synopsis
Johnny (Tommy Wiseau) is a successful San Francisco banker living in a two-story home with his fiancée, Lisa (Juliette Danielle). While things seem to be going great for Johnny, what he doesn't know is that Lisa is being unfaithful. Dissatisfied with the relationship, she cheats on him with his best friend, Mark (Greg Sestero), who instantly feels regretful. During this, Johnny, Mark, and Lisa save their neighbor Denny (Philip Haldiman) from a ruthless drug dealer. As Lisa starts accusing Johnny of being abusive, he begins spiraling out of control and seeks help from his friends. They spend time confiding in each other while tossing a football in back alleys and parks, but it doesn't help. Soon, truths will be revealed, friendships will be tested, and their lives will never be the same. All this and much more await anyone who dares subject themselves to The Room!
Review
The Room is one of the worst movies ever made, but you probably already knew that by now. Since its release twenty years ago, everyone and their grandmother have discussed everything wrong with this film. People have talked about the bad acting, ridiculous dialogue, numerous unresolved subplots, and noticeable flubs till the cows came home. However, much like other vanity projects like Battlefield Earth or the works of Neil Breen, The Room is something special. It's a film that is so bad and incompetent that it's transcended to become a cult movie phenomenon. Like the "Oh my god" scene from Troll 2, Wiseau's "You're tearing me apart, Lisa" has become iconic. Honestly, there's not much more I can say about this infamous epic that other reviewers haven't already discussed. However, I will try to give my unique perspective on Mr. Wiseau's magnum opus.
While I think the movie is technically terrible, The Room is so unintentionally hilarious that I can't hate it. Unlike other notoriously bad movies like Freddy Got Fingered or It's Pat, this one doesn't make me regret my decisions. Tommy Wiseau's slurred speech and bad dubbing make his performance funnier, especially knowing he couldn't remember his lines. My favorite moments are when he dismisses Lisa's accusations and tells Mark to leave the party later. As easy as it would be to mock the other actors, I can't fault them, considering the material they're given. That said, Greg Sestero brings the same charm he did to Retro Puppet Master and is easily the best actor. It helps that he knew Tommy personally so he could figure out the best way to deliver his nonsensical dialogue. Also, Dan Janjigian goes all in for his small but memorable role as drug dealer Chris-R.
For all its unintentionally funny moments, there are just as many scenes that drag the movie down. Also, some viewers may skip the numerous sex scenes that happen one after the other in the first fifteen minutes. None of them are even remotely erotic, playing out like the worst version of something you'd see on late-night Cinemax. What doesn't help the pacing is all the stock footage of San Francisco meant to establish the locations. I wonder if Wiseau is trying to sell people the idea of visiting Alcatraz Island and The Golden Gate Bridge. For a film that's only slightly over ninety minutes, the movie seems to go on way longer than that. While this movie is awful, I highly encourage people to watch it at least once to experience what it offers. Overall, The Room is one of the best bad movies ever, and God Bless Tommy Wiseau!
Buy The Room from Amazon: https://amzn.to/47N4K2s.
Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
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