What Just Happened is an awkward look at making movies through the life of a producer losing his foothold in the industry.

This was a different way to tell to tell a story… as a credit to the moviemakers, it felt more like a reality show or documentary than a movie… but I’m still not sure whether I like it or not.

 “What Just Happened”

(2008) (rated: R for language, some violent images, sexual content and some drug material) (1 hr, 44 min)

Starring: Robert De Niro, Bruce Willis, Stanley Tucci, John Turturro, Kristen Stewart, Catherine Keener, Sean Penn, Robin Wright Penn, Michael Wincott, Moon Bloodgood

Director: Barry Levinson – “Man of the Year” (2006), “Sphere” (1998), “Wag the Dog” (1997), “Rain Man” (1988), “Good Morning, Vietnam” (1987), “The Natural” (1984)

Genre: Comedy/Drama

The Plot: Two weeks in the life of a fading Hollywood producer who’s having a rough time trying to get his new picture made.

MY TAKE:

Robert DeNiro’s character has serious problems.  So does this movie.

In some ways, the movie was very good… the pacing, the acting, the awkward tension and living the life of a man who’s career is spiraling out of control.

But the movie focuses so much on the inner workings of Hollywood, that it doesn’t have mainstream appeal… there are a lot of inside references as the movie pokes fun at Hollywood that is lost on wider audiences.

DeNiro and director Levinson had a great movie together with Wag The Dog in 1997, but this movie has too many points where my attention was lost and the main character was not someone you really want to see suceed… so as his life balances on the edge of disaster, then spirals out of control – I had so little emotional investment into DeNiro’s character that I really didn’t really care what happened.

DeNiro’s acting was solid – but the portrayal of his character kept me from caring what happened to him.

The supporting cast was good, with John Turturro stealing many of the scenes he was in, as Bruce Willis turned in an unlikely performance as a total jerk actor with the biggest ego ever.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Much like the movie we watch through the screening and re-editing process, the audience has moments of enjoyment, but mostly disappointment from such a good cast and a decent trailer… I give it 6.5 out of 10… the message or overall feeling was a little bit lost… what was I supposed to get out of this, life sucks as a movie producer?

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So what did you think?  Please post a comment!

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“What Just Happened?” poster courtesy 2929 Productions

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