---
title: "The Disaster Artist"
year: 2017
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-disaster-artist"
fi1m_score: 74
critics_score: 76
critics_reviews: 23
published: "2026-09-17T08:46:44.493469+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-17T08:46:45.005077+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Disaster Artist (2017)

Directed by James Franco · 1h 44m · MPA R · Comedy, Drama

**Fi1m score: 74** · Critics 76 from 23 reviews

*In a sentence:* Everyone on this film set needs a quiet word with the director, who is busy playing the lead

> James Franco makes filmmaking incompetence funny without treating ambition as a joke. His performance gives this comedy warmth and discomfort, but the thinly drawn friendship and forgiving script keep it from cutting much deeper.

## Synopsis

In Hollywood, Greg (Dave Franco) and Tommy (James Franco) share ambitions to act and a friendship shaped by Tommy’s confidence. They set about making *The Room*, with Tommy directing and playing Johnny, Greg playing Mark and Juliette (Ari Graynor) taking the role of Lisa. Tommy wants a film that proves his talent, but his certainty runs well ahead of his ability to direct actors and organise a production. Greg finds himself working alongside a friend whose determination keeps the work moving and whose volatile behaviour makes it difficult.

## Review

*The Disaster Artist* is a funny, warm account of filmmaking incompetence, weakened by its eagerness to find something admirable in almost everybody involved. James Franco directs and plays Tommy, the would-be filmmaker whose certainty carries him into making [*The Room*](https://film.one/film/the-room). The comedy comes from watching that certainty survive contact with actors and crew who have to put it to practical use. Franco understands the appeal of someone who keeps trying, although he is less curious about what everybody else owes such a person.

The accent, the appearance and the abrupt changes of mood give Franco plenty to work with, and he does not rush to make Tommy likeable. His performance makes the man’s belief in himself both funny and awkward to watch. We laughed at the voice, then felt uncomfortable about laughing at the man. The discomfort comes from Franco’s earnestness: Tommy takes his attempts at filmmaking seriously, even when the people around him cannot. Franco gives us time to feel bad about it.

Dave Franco’s Greg gives Tommy somebody to impress and somebody whose approval matters, and the quieter performance calms scenes that might otherwise become exhausting. Yet Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber’s screenplay is too content to let this friendship explain itself. Shared ambition gets the men together; the film needs a clearer sense of why Greg remains so invested in Tommy when being his friend becomes hard work. Dave Franco is sympathetic, but Greg is too often left responding to the more conspicuous performance.

Chris L. Spellman’s production design makes the recreations of *The Room* convincing enough to be funny without requiring a running explanation. Brandon Trost’s cinematography keeps attention on the performers, a sensible choice when the trouble is usually a person attempting something beyond him. The images are not especially memorable on their own, but they serve the comedy. Seth Rogen’s Sandy adds welcome impatience to scenes that could otherwise become too indulgent towards Tommy.

Stacey Schroeder’s editing gives the production mishaps a brisk rhythm, with enough time to register the discomfort as well as the joke. At 104 minutes, the film does not exhaust its supply of absurd behaviour, though the emotional passages feel more familiar than the business of getting a scene made. Dave Porter’s music is less helpful when it encourages us to feel fond of Tommy. The actors have already given us enough reason to care.

[*Ed Wood*](https://film.one/film/ed-wood) is the obvious comparison, but the more useful question is how far a comedy about bad filmmaking should protect its subject. Franco does show jealousy and delusion, and there is enough unpleasantness here to stop Tommy becoming merely a lovable eccentric. Yet the film keeps treating persistence as a reason to forgive behaviour it has just made us question. The supporting characters could have carried more of that discomfort if the script had given them the time.

Knowing *The Room* will make the recreations more rewarding, but prior study is not necessary. The recognisable problem is somebody with unchecked confidence making a job difficult for everybody else, and that needs little introduction. We would choose this for an evening when affection and embarrassment sound like a workable mixture. Just do not expect it to ask much of the man causing the trouble.

*Fi1m score 74, published 17 September 2026.*

### Reviews we read (23)

- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (90/100, inferred): James Franco delivers a meticulous, affectionate recreation of the chaotic making of Tommy Wiseau’s cult disasterpiece The Room, turning the story into a tragicomic tour de force. The film succeeds by convincingly portraying Wiseau not just as a terrible filmmaker but as a genuine, if deluded, dreamer, much like Tim Burton’s Ed Wood. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/dec/03/the-disaster-artist-james-franco-tragicomic-tour-de-force)
- **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★★☆): In the spirit of Ed Wood and The Producers, the film celebrates the phenomenon of a work so bad it’s good, with Franco nailing the deluded overachiever Tommy Wiseau through pitch-perfect accent, appearance and volatile behaviour drawn from the source memoir. It tracks the odd-couple friendship and disastrous production with hilarious, meta energy. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/film-review-the-disaster-artist-wrnvwzvzc)
- **Variety**, Peter Debruge (Critics Pick): This studio-made comedy is the most fascinating movie of James Franco's wildly eccentric oeuvre and the best and most professional entry on his résumé. It captures the sheer ineptitude of Wiseau’s endeavor while providing a revisionist take on “The Room’s” transformation into an inadvertent comedy. [Read](https://variety.com/2017/film/festivals/the-disaster-artist-review-james-franco-tommy-wiseau-the-room-1202007596/)
- **Empire**, John Nugent (80/100, inferred): The film is a sincere and sporadically funny tribute to failing in Hollywood and the noble pursuit of dreams despite ridicule. It praises the earnest tone, the recreation of scenes from The Room, and Franco's performance as Wiseau as a comedy masterclass. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/disaster-artist-review/)
- **Little White Lies**, Hannah Strong (4/4/3): The review finds the film funny, heartfelt and bizarre, with Franco's performance as Wiseau being sincere and mesmerizing. It praises the warmth and compassion but notes it falls into formulaic territory and doesn't fully ignite as a cult classic. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-disaster-artist)
- **Sight and Sound**, Matthew Taylor (80/100, inferred): The critic praises Franco's portrayal of Tommy Wiseau as a sensational physical performance that captures his mannerisms and self-delusion poignantly. The film is seen as spinning tragicomic gold from the source material's absurdity, though it highlights the pathos in Wiseau's delusions. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-disaster-artist-spins-comic-gold-from-dramatic-dross)
- **The i Paper**, Matthew Turner (★★★★): The Disaster Artist is an ode to gloriously terrible filmmaking and a hilarious comedy-drama that succeeds as the spiritual successor to Ed Wood. It singles out Franco's performance as Wiseau for its manic energy, pathos, and perfect capture of the character's mannerisms. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/the-disaster-artist-review-106922)
- **Vulture** (75/100, inferred): The movie serves as the ultimate showcase for James Franco's performance as Wiseau, thrilling in its timing and relish despite some queasiness about laughing at the subject. It dodges deeper questions about talent and audience enjoyment in its tidy ending. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2017/11/james-franco-the-disaster-artist-movie-review.html)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (70/100, inferred): Franco’s shrewd, affectionate and squirmingly funny new movie approaches “The Room” in a spirit of mocking celebration and offers a sincere tribute from one iconoclast to another. It is a timeless chronicle of incompetence, jealousy and delusions of grandeur that works as an extended series of comic bits. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-disaster-artist-review-20171130-story.html)
- **Slant Magazine**, Jake Cole (70/100, inferred): The film perfectly communicates the surreal hell of The Room's production and reconciles Franco's sides as director and actor, but it is less successful at examining the central friendship. It remains a loving tribute to how bad movies can leave a lasting impression. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-disaster-artist/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Michael Rechtshaffen (70/100, inferred): The critic calls it a wildly funny Ed Wood-esque ode to great bad moviemaking that works well as a work in progress. Franco excels in dual roles as director and star, leading a strong ensemble in a blend of comedy and pathos. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/disaster-artist-review-985475/)
- **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (70/100, inferred): The ha-ha comedy is an ode to bad taste and dubious intentions that recounts the making of a friendship and the absurdly inept movie it produced. Franco recreates the production of “The Room” with an assured, energetic touch and an appealing cast, though the breeziness can feel glib. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/30/movies/the-disaster-artist-review-ames-franco-tommy-wiseau.html)
- **The AV Club**, Jesse Hassenger (60/100, inferred): The film is funny and entertaining with a sincere attempt to explain The Room, but it avoids real confrontation with its subject and too readily validates the failure at its center. It offers an easy, feel-good take on Wiseau compared to more nuanced treatments of failure. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-disaster-artist-and-i-tonya-examine-failure-and-cu-1820853802)
- **Time Out**, Joshua Rothkopf (3/5): The critic describes it as an affectionate making-of that's half as weird as the real thing, good for fans of The Room but undernourished in its central relationship and more conventional than hoped. Praises the recreation of scenes and Franco's impression but notes it's square. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-disaster-artist)
- **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (50/100, inferred): Franco displays a wicked joy in portraying the enigmatic Tommy Wiseau and brings special verve to scenes of the fictionalized Tommy working with his cast and crew. The comedy never gets past Tommy’s mask of mystery, staying on the surface and leaving little more than a trail of amusing anecdotes. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/the-disaster-artist)
- **HeyUGuys**, Nathan McVay (5/5): The critic calls the film surprisingly outstanding and a brilliant tribute, praising James Franco's career-best performance as Tommy Wiseau. They single out the heartfelt bond between the two friends and their shared dream as the emotional core that makes the absurdity work. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-disaster-artist-review/)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (A-): The critic praises the film's emphasis on friendship and humanizing Wiseau rather than mere fan service, blending humor with genuine sweetness and charm. James Franco's performance and the brothers' on-screen chemistry are singled out for making Wiseau a sympathetic, three-dimensional figure. [Read](https://collider.com/the-disaster-artist-review/)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (85/100, inferred): Franco turns the making of a very bad movie into a very good one with a good-natured tribute that focuses on the friendship and creative process. The film succeeds as a human comedy with a three-dimensional lead performance and strong supporting turns, comparable to Ed Wood. [Read](https://deadline.com/2017/11/the-disaster-artist-review-james-franco-tommy-wiseau-the-room-zac-efron-1202217024/)
- **NME**, Olly Richards (4/5): Franco directs and stars in a kinder, better film than a simple farce, delivering a very funny, affectionate celebration that includes heart-wrenching moments and a strangely inspiring Hollywood tale of pursuing dreams. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/disaster-artist-film-review-2168667)
- **The Ringer**, K. Austin Collins (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the film funny, sincere, and revealing, crediting its understanding of 'anti-genius' and Wiseau's aspirations for making it more than a simple comedy. Franco's nuanced performance and the tense making-of sequences are highlighted as particularly effective. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2017/11/30/movies/the-disaster-artist-film-review-james-franco)
- **The Wrap**, Sam Fragoso (80/100, inferred): Franco has made an ambitious, seriocomic portrait that succeeds as a good movie about a bad one and an endearing love letter to Wiseau. The film excels thanks to Franco's impeccable comedic timing and full commitment to capturing Wiseau's earnestness and accent. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/the-disaster-artist-review-james-franco-tommy-wiseau-the-room/)
- **Paste**, Jim Vorel (8.0): The review lauds James Franco's remarkable, transformative performance as Tommy Wiseau as the film's greatest strength and one of his career highlights. It notes the film is most rewarding for fans of The Room due to its detailed recreations but may feel less accessible to newcomers. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/the-disaster-artist/the-disaster-artist-review)
- **Den of Geek**, Ryan Lambie (3/5): The film succeeds as a feel-good comedy about two clueless dreamers who create a one-of-a-kind work, but it largely amounts to an amusing re-enactment that fails to dig beneath the surface of Wiseau's character or match the craft of similar films like Ed Wood. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-disaster-artist-review-2/)

## Details

- **Director:** James Franco
- **Director:** James Franco
- **Screenplay:** Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber
- **Cinematography:** Brandon Trost
- **Editor:** Stacey Schroeder
- **Music:** Dave Porter
- **Production design:** Chris L. Spellman
- **Costume design:** Brenda Abbandandolo
- **Producer:** James Franco, Vince Jolivette, Seth Rogen
- **Cast:** Dave Franco as Greg / 'Mark'; James Franco as Tommy / 'Johnny'; Seth Rogen as Sandy; Ari Graynor as Juliette / 'Lisa'; Alison Brie as Amber; Jacki Weaver as Carolyn / 'Claudette'; Paul Scheer as Raphael; Zac Efron as Dan / 'Chris-R'
- **Runtime:** 1h 44m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 8 December 2017
- **Genres:** Comedy, Drama
- **Budget:** $10 million
- **Box office:** $30 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPSJYXi7BWA

## Where to watch in the US

- Tubi: free, hd, leaving 2026-10-01
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $2.99, sd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $12.99, sd

*Checked 2026-09-17.*

Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2017: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Ed Wood* (1994), Fi1m 84: Another hopeful director mistakes persistence for talent, with more room for sadness. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ed-wood.md)
- *American Movie* (1999): A documentary about stubborn amateur filmmaking, with affection earned through prolonged, exasperated attention.
- *Day for Night* (1973): A film crew’s work and private lives compete for attention, with room for everybody.
- *One Cut of the Dead* (2017): Go in knowing little; the pleasures of collective filmmaking emerge through mounting chaos.
- *The King of Comedy* (1982), Fi1m 88: For a colder look at ambition that survives every discouraging piece of evidence. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-king-of-comedy.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-disaster-artist