Director Barry Levinson hasn't had much luck lately after Bandits, which was a good though not anything very noteworthy comedy caper, he had two colossal duds in a rowEnvy and Man of the Yearwhich, despite an otherwise impressive host of films (i.e. Diner, Rainman, Sleepers, even Toys) could have threatened to throw him off track ala Rob Reiner. But in a way What Just Happened was relatable for Levinson, despite it being the stories of Art Linson, semi-famous producer who's had hits and misses throughout his career, and at the same time gave him some ample material for some sardonic, spot-on satire of the industry. It's not the Player, don't get me wrong, but it gives its winks and nods to the egomania, the preciousness of directors and stars, and how personal lives get caught up in the mix without getting too smug with us common moviegoers.Probably the funniest, as sort of a near running gag, is the latest film that producer Ben (De Niro) is being test-screened for audiences; a rough cut of "Fiercly" starring Sean Penn (who, as with Bruce Willis, plays "Himself" in the film) disturbs the audience because, on top of a bleak end for its hero, a dog is killed on screen (this, for all the wrong reasons, is hysterical funny, if only for the deadpan reaction from DeNiro to the insanely negative response cards). The director, however, a British hipster (brilliantly played by Michael Wincott), doesn't take it lightly that he doesn't have final cut. This brings around what seems like a moment of levity midway... and then back to the start when it comes time for Cannes. On top of this is Willis's 'plot-line' involving a beard he won't shave off. It's almost like a slight reprisal of his part in Four Rooms, only put to a much bigger, aggrandizing maximum. Both of these, much like seeing certain characters in a Christopher Guest movie, elicit laughs anytime they're on screen.
And the rest of the movie is... still very good. Aside from some scenes where Levinson decides to rush things along via the speedy transitions, he provides a style that suits the feel of the material, of Ben trying to balance his personal struggles (an ex-wife he can't totally let go of, and his rebellious teen daughter with a secret) with the eternal BS of getting work done in an industry concerned, a lot more often than not, with the final dollar over artistic integrity. It's not quite reality TV, but it has that unpredictable, on-the-fly hand-held feeling all the same, which is a method much more effective used here than in Man of the Year. And De Niro is also surprisingly good (maybe not a surprise to some, but considering some of his hit-or-miss turns in recent fare), as he doesn't lay too low-key in the part. One can probably see De Niro having studied producers not just Linson himself but othersfor long stretches to get the right steps for each deliberate step in ego-maniacal Hollywood.
So sit back, relax, and enjoy some near classic self-conscious satire on an industry that deserves anything those in it can dish back out.
The plot is basically a series of interconnecting subplots, each revolving around a fading Hollywood producer named Ben (Robert De Niro), who's saddled with troubled film projects and a chaotic personal life. One of the subplots begins with Ben at a preview screening for a Sean Penn film called "Fiercely." It doesn't go very well; not only is the film too long, it also ends with a dog being shot in the head. The moody British director, Jeremy Brunell (Michael Wincott), defends his decision to include that final scene, claiming that the dog's death is artistic and appropriate given the context of the story. A studio chief working for Ben, Lou Tarnow (Catherine Keener), insists that the ending be changed: "I've lost twenty-five million before," she muses, "and I'll lose twenty-five million again. But if you change the ending, I'll probably lose ten to fifteen million less." Ben goes along with it, knowing that a box office bomb will push him that much closer to the end of his career. Brunell's reaction to this is natural, if a little melodramatic. It will ultimately take a boatload of prescription pills and a break from sobriety for him to even consider reediting "Fiercely."
In another subplot, Ben is set to produce a new film starring Bruce Willis. But there's a problem: Willis has grown a beard, and he's put on some weight. He no longer looks like a leading man. This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on Ben, who knows that the picture will be shut down if Willis doesn't get back in shape. This in turn puts pressure on Willis' agent, Dick Bell (John Turturro), so fearful of his client that he often has severe stomach spasms. Rightly so--Willis is obstinate and downright hostile, pushing over wardrobe racks, knocking down tables, and pounding on doors at the slightest mention of his beard. I have no way of knowing how accurately this represents the real Bruce Willis, but I'll take it as an item of faith that he's playing a caricature of himself. I certainly hope this is the case; in the film, it eventually becomes clear that he's being difficult just for the sake of being difficult. There's really no point to what he's doing other than behaving like a prima donna.
The third subplot focuses on Ben's personal life, which involves two ex-wives, two young children, and an older daughter with problems most can't relate to. It's the weakest subplot because it's the least developed; we only meet his first ex-wife once, and her teenage daughter, Zoe (Kristen Stewart) appears so infrequently that I'm surprised she was included at all. Apparently, she had an encounter with an agent that committed suicide, which is a strange plot device in and of itself. We do, however, get a better idea of Ben's second wife, Kelly (Robin Wright Penn). Despite the fact that she and Ben are divorced, and despite the fact that they have unfinished business, they still have feelings for one another. Both immerse themselves in a special kind of couple's therapy, the kind that will hopefully allow them to separate as civilly as possible. But then Ben finds a man's sock under Kelly's bed, and he suspects it belongs to Scott Solomon (Stanley Tucci), who wrote the Bruce Willis film and is now working on a script that takes place in a flower shop. It seems it doesn't matter to Ben that he and Kelly are divorced; he still doesn't like the idea of her seeing another man.
Inevitably, there comes the climactic scene in which the final cut of "Fiercely" makes its debut at the Cannes Film Festival. Will Jeremy Brunell stick to his guns and release a sure-fire failure, or will he bow to the whims of powerful producers and release a blockbuster? I obviously can't answer that. I can say that the very idea plays into the notion that Hollywood is a shallow industry that cares more about money than it does about art. The joke, of course, comes from the fact that few will see art in a dog getting its brains blown out. Is there a message hiding somewhere in this? I'm really not sure. I've seen a lot of what Hollywood produces, but that doesn't mean I understand how the system works. Ultimately, I can only recommend "What Just Happened" for what it presents on the surface; it's occasionally funny, the performances were decent, and Linson's dialogue was clever. For those of us who aren't in show business, well, we can only hope that Levinson knew what he was doing by making this movie.
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I was surprised at some of the negative reviews here about a film I've seen at least 20 times. Based upon Art Linson's autobiographical book of the same name, the movie does a great job of binding disparate chapters into a cohesive story that while it's in no way fun or pleasant paints a painfully accurate picture of an industry that's full of money and egos. While there are many industry films out there, What Just Happened reveals the money-focused obsession of studios, the narcissism of actors and the pathological dedication of semi-sane directors. And by the way, Michael Wincott's character here and his film 'Fiercely' is really supposed to be David Fincher's Fight Club.While admittedly it's more accessible to movie bores like me, I think there's enough wit and cleverness in the script to keep the casual viewer engaged. Robert De Niro is excellent as the producer under fire and there's a fine supporting cast of the likes of Stanley Tucci and Sean Pean who play their respective roles perfectly. A tip of the hat goes to Bruce Willis for an excellent self parody as the actor who threatens an entire production because he won't shave his beard. And Catherine Keener is fantastic as the unflinching studio head who will take final cut from a director if the dollar signs add up.
As someone who has flirted with the entertainment industry on various occasions, the bizarre situations posed in the movie strike a chord and remind you that Hollywood is about 10% product and 90% money, power and egos. What Just Happened is clever, insightful and well scripted and certainly worthy of higher praise than it's been receiving.
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I believe this is an amazing movie for people in business to share with spouse and family members who can't really grasp the realities of what happens in the business world. Yes, this movie focuses on self absorbed actors and directors and demanding money, but it mirrors what successful business people navigate through daily. The main charactor always has his eye on getting the job done and has to appease unrealistic and emotional demands with a smile on his face and keep pushing forward. He needs to fix a problem, while balancing all of the parties involved and he pushes forward. I am sure any business person can relate to this and the power of the person who has the vision to see the bigger picture, despite the idiots he has to deal with.Now this may sound boring by my description, but if you are in a demanding professional position, you should find this movie awesome. This is the first movie I have watched twice since I was a child. If you have a family member who works professionally and you cannot fathom what their life is like, watch this movie and truly put yourself in DeNiro's shoes. DeNiro is the only one aware that unless the job gets done nobody makes any money and the game is over.
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This is a great movie showing the inside of the corrupt and really crazy world of Hollywood. Only De Niro could have made this movie. Nobody can touch him.The movie follows a producer (Ben) during two weeks before the Cannes festival (we definitely need to pay attention what the Europeans say, because they are more ...distinguished and they definitely have more class than the poor slobs of Americans). He is really on the run and his families (yes he has more than one) are falling apart. He is trying to change the end of a movie that at first doesn't appear to connect with the audience selected to prescreen the movie (reminds me the worthless focus groups that the candidates are using during the elections). All these people participating in the focus groups that supposedly represent the average Joe are selected according to the same (Hollywood) criteria. Therefore they NEVER represent the average Joe. Because it is all about the money!
After seeing this movie I understand why movies like "October Baby", "Touchback", and the soon to come out "Last Ounce of Courage" among others, can only be purchased from WalMart and they are nowhere to be found on Amazon or on Best Buy. When you have a drug addict, degenerate director that insists that blowing the head of a dog is art, then you understand why these people have really short life span and they have to be medicated. Usually, what most directors of Hollywood regard as art and deep philosophy in their movie is usually pure garbage with the exception of few (i.e. Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, Francis Ford-Coppola, and Martin Scorsese among others). Because it is all about the money!
Then there is Bruce Willis and his beard as a side story. That is a great satire of the divas in Hollywood that have temper tantrums (Lohan, Hilton etc). Great parody. The scene when everybody waits for him and we see him sideways in the trailer is fantastic. Because it is all about the money!
And finally, there is the therapist. In the movie they appear exactly like they are in real life...totally worthless! Because it is all about the money!
Make sure you watch the extras; there is more to the movie in the extras. Even Kristen Stewart looks good in this movie because ...she is playing herself.
Don't listen to the naysayers. Five stars all the way because of the cast and because it is REAL folks. I guess people who don't like the movie don't like what they see in the mirror. The truth hurts.
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