Hollywood poking fun at its own self-importance isn´t anything new; they´ve been doing it for decades. Some of my favorite movies about movies include Sullivan´s Travels, The Bad and the Beautiful, Singin´ in the Rain, and The Player. More recently, Ben Stiller took an over-the-top, cartoonish approach to the subject matter with Tropic Thunder. Barry Levinson´s latest film, What Just Happened? follows in the footsteps of Tropic Thunder, but takes a far more grounded approach at ridiculing the behind-the-scenes turmoil of La La Land. What Just Happened? tries to take a bite out of Hollywood too, yet lacks the teeth to do it. It just gums at it instead.
Based on the eponymous autobiography of producer Art Linson (The Untouchables, Heat, Fight Club), What Just Happened? focuses on aging producer Ben (Robert DeNiro) as he juggles his personal and professional lives. Ben has one film in the can, Fiercely starring Sean Penn (in a small role as himself) and directed by British auteur Jeremy Brundell (Michael Wincott). Ben hopes to build a ton of buzz at Cannes, but before that he has to leap the tall hurdle known as the test screening. The screening, with all the principal players in attendance, turns into a disaster. Brundell´s masterpiece ends with the hero, Penn, being shot by the bad guys, right after his lovable dog is shot through the head in a sudden, graphic manner. The audience, unsurprisingly, reacts with anger and disgust.
The studio head, Lou Tarnow (Catherine Keener), demands Ben follow her notes and alter the film accordingly. Brundell doesn´t react to this news very well, throwing a tantrum and bursting into tears. Simultaneously, Ben is producing another project that may never get off the ground because of its temperamental leading man. Ben is called to the set immediately when he learns that his star, Bruce Willis (also playing himself), has arrived sporting a beer belly and a big, bushy beard. The never seen studio executives threaten to shut the production down and sue Ben if their obscenely paid A-list actor doesn´t shave. Willis, on the other hand, threatens Ben with physical violence if he isn´t allowed to express himself artistically. With a beard…
Meanwhile, Ben has to deal with two ex-wives and the kids from each marriage. His teenage daughter, Zoe (Kristen Stewart), from his first wife won´t open up to him. He has an on-off, up-down relationship with his second ex, Kelly (Robin Wright Penn). They still have feelings for each other while attending therapy to complete their split amicably. Ben also suspects Kelly is sleeping with his screenwriter friend, Scott Solomon (Stanley Tucci).
As the stand-in for Linson, DeNiro puts in an understated performance, a different type from the larger-than-life characters he usually plays. He´s not the typical producer either or at least not the stereotypical one. He´s tired and world weary. There´s nothing wrong with DeNiro´s work here, but there´s nothing that really jumps out at you. You can say the same thing about most of the film. It too is understated and a bit underwhelming.
Part of the problem lies with the stakes. Not every movie should be about stopping the terrorists from detonating a nuke, but the protagonist should embark on a journey that allows the audience to connect with the character. Basic screenwriting. However, I never felt emotionally invested with Ben. His movie is savaged by audiences and critics? Big deal. Levinson frames the film around a photo shoot for a cover featuring Hollywood´s power players with Ben worrying about where he´ll be placed. Umm…so what? Ben´s familial situation might have elicited some sympathy were it given time to develop. It seems like a lot of the scenes involving the subplots with Zoe and Solomon were left on the cutting room floor.
The humor falls flat most of the time as well. The majority of the gags are so dry, you wonder if that was supposed to be a joke or not. On the rare occasions the comedy is played more broadly and fails to elicit any chuckles. The always dependable John Turturro plays a talent agent so neurotic that he out-Woody Allens Woody Allen. That would have been good enough, but they threw in a bizarre stomach disorder that causes Turturro to scream and cough in pain at random times. It isn´t funny the first time and repeating it again and again doesn´t make it any funnier.
The only scene in the film that has any kind of life to it is Bruce Willis´s tirade when he´s told to shave his beard. Willis looks like he could have given Jeff Bridges a run for the role of Obadiah Stane in Iron Man. The former John McClane is quite entertaining in the scene that was reportedly based on a real incident involving Alec Baldwin on the set of The Edge.
Levinson is undoubtedly familiar with all sorts of bizarre antics from movie folk having worked in the film industry as an actor, writer, director, and producer. He´s tackled the subject before in the oddly prescient Wag the Dog and, to a lesser extent, with the poorly made Man of the Year. This all-star production falls somewhere in the middle of those last two films. Directors with inflated opinions of their own artistic sensibilities, know-it-all executives who don´t really know anything and egoistical actors aren´t exactly revelations. What Just Happened? doesn´t beat a dead horse so much as jabs it with a pointy stick. Levinson set out to mock Hollywood and, ironically, made a film that fits in with the indistinguishable, milquetoast mass that it churns out.
Rating: * 1/2
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