What Just Happened
In Hollywood, everyone can hear you scream.
What Just Happened is a winningly sharp comedy about two nail-biting, back-stabbing, roller-coaster weeks in the world of a middle-aged Hollywood producer (Robert De Niro) - as he tries to juggle an actual life with an outrageous series of crises in his day job.
Member Reviews
What did I just watch? - SkyHook
Pass.
The only time I felt "a-ha!" was when the ex said the title line on the phone, near the end. I didn't have a clue what it was referring to that was so pivotal, unless it was an inside joke about my viewing. It's probably significant that I can't remember De Niro's character name, and possibly purposeful that Sean Penn's and Robin Wright's characters are unaware of each other in the same movie.
A movie that likely had a message about fleeting perceptions of power and self-importance really just rambled on too much with scenes and connectors that only gave De Niro more screen time. Things like Willis playing a beard joke came across as far too fictional and kept pulling me into satire mode, away from storytelling. Not haw-haw; forced. Am I to believe that an entire flim crew would wait around for an actor to get into the mood to leave his makeup trailer? Seriously? Would any professional really pull that stunt and not be fired the same day? See The Whole Nine Yards for real Willis humour.
I feel it's important to note that this film is about the Hollywood biz, and is too much navel gazing, like how TV stars always work at home as architects, artists, or consultants. It's navel gazing like books where the protagonist is a writer. I'm sure many take to heart that you write about what you know, but there just isn't much here to relate to for the rest of us if you film about filmmaking. Incestuous films about filmmaking leave a raw taste in my mouth, like they're undercooked because they were afraid to step into the real world and feel the heat.
What Just Happened was simply Why Keep Watching. Nothing here offensive, plenty of big names are entertaining to watch, yet nothing explains why I bothered to continue or why I would ever recommend this title. Passing time is not the foundation of entertainment if you can squeeze a lifetime into a single moment of perception.
I think this may have been a De Niro paycheWhere are the laughs? - Baboonvideo
For a Hollywood satire, What Just Happened is awfully light on laughs. Sure, the film nails the desperation and tantrums of almost everyone in the movie making business, but beyond a few key components of the plot (particularly an overweight Bruce Willis who refuses to shave his beard), it is all more mildly diverting than funny.Not Perfect But Pretty Good - CharleyJames
There have been better Hollywood send-up films - Blake Edwards' "The Party" is probably the best - but, while not perfect, "What Just Happened" is pretty good and entertaining to boot despite some of its imperfections and occasionally trying too hard.
Robert DiNiro is a composite of the producer types who roam Beverly Hills, Bel Air and the studios, always looking for their next deal while always looking over their shoulder. They all have kids from numerous wives, they walk a thin line between whore and saint, they're as afraid of their own shadow as they are of the studio heads on whom they depend for their livlihood.
While not nearly as challenging as some of his better roles, nevetheless Di Niro plays Ben to a tee. Michael Wincott as the narcissistic director Jeremy Brunell chews the scenery a bit so it detracts from both the part and his performance, but the underappreciated Catherine Keener is outstanding as the hard-edged studio production chief who is so tough she strands Di Niro at the Cannes airport after offering him a ride home on a corporate jet.
Sean Penn and Bruce Willis do cameo's as stars of two of DiNiro's films. Willis plays the part of the stereotypical childish, self-indulgent, demanding and demeaning actor so well you wonder if the original character in Art Linson's book was based on him.
On one level, this is a frothy romp through Hollywood; on another, it's a biting indictment of the world's most superficial industry.
Member Reviews
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What did I just watch? - SkyHook
Pass.
The only time I felt "a-ha!" was when the ex said the title line on the phone, near the end. I didn't have a clue what it was referring to that was so pivotal, unless it was an inside joke about my viewing. It's probably significant that I can't ...Where are the laughs? - Baboonvideo
For a Hollywood satire, What Just Happened is awfully light on laughs. Sure, the film nails the desperation and tantrums of almost everyone in the movie making business, but beyond a few key components of the plot (particularly an overweight Bruce Willis who ...Not Perfect But Pretty Good - CharleyJames
There have been better Hollywood send-up films - Blake Edwards' "The Party" is probably the best - but, while not perfect, "What Just Happened" is pretty good and entertaining to boot despite some of its imperfections and occasionally trying too hard.
Robert ...