What Just Happened? DVD Review
What Just Happened? is based on writer/producer Art Linson’s book, What Just Happened? Bitter Hollywood Tales from the Front Line. This is the same Linson behind such big films as Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Untouchables, Heat and Fight Club.
In this case, the film is about a successful Hollywood producer, Ben (Robert DeNiro), who has to juggle both personal and professional crises. That the film is directed by industry veteran Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Man of the Year, Wag the Dog, Sleepers) only sweetens the pot.
In addition to mega-star DeNiro (Wag The Dog, Hide and Seek, Meet the Fockers), What Just Happened? also stars Robin Wright Penn (Breaking and Entering, Sorry Haters) as Ben’s second wife, Kelly; Kristen Stewart (Twilight, In the Land of Women, Speak) as Benís oldest daughter, Zoe; John Turturro (Margot at the Wedding, Transformers) as an agent, aptly-named Dick; Stanley Tucci (ìERî, The Hoax, The Devil Wears Prada) as screenplay writer Scott; Michael Wincott as drama queen/director Jeremy; Catherine Keener (Into the Wild, Friends With Money, The 40 Year Old Virgin) as shark/studio exec Lou; Bruce Willis (Live Free or Die Hard, 16 Blocks, Alpha Dog) as a movie star full of himself; and Sean Penn (Milk, All The Kingís Men, The Interpreter) as, well, Sean Penn.
Basically, viewers are treated to a peek behind the curtain to see what ìreallyî happens when a film is made and brought to cinemas. While the plot itself could have used more Hollywood drama and less of Benís personal life drama, there was a great subplot. Ben has a huge project ready to start any day, but itís hindered by the fact that the star, Bruce Willis, has shown up mere days before shooting overweight and sporting a “Grizzly Adams” beard. As we know from various tabloid television shows and magazines, variations of this go on all the time in Hollywood.
What Just Happened? is presented in 2.35:1, with audio in either Dolby Digital 5.1 or 2.0. Extras include dry audio commentary with Levinson and Linson; three deleted scenes; a quick look at on-set footage (no interviews) in “Behind The Scenes”; “Making of What Just Happened: From Book To Script To Screen”, which intercuts interviews with DeNiro, Linson, and Levinson, and has no clips from the filmóneedless to say, itís boring; “Casting Sessions” with a bunch of actors I barely recognize from the film itself; and “No Animals Were Harmed In The Making Of This Movie”, a faux-interview with the film’s dog actor to appease animal lovers.
What Just Happened is rated R for language, some violent images, sexual content and some drug materialî and has a 104-minute run time.
Yes, we’ve seen this before in The Player and even in Tropic Thunder, but it never hurts to be reminded of the inner workings of Hollywood. And who better to remind us than actors, the very people who have to rub shoulders with directors, producers, casting agents, etc.?
I give What Just Happened? 2.75 stars out of 5 stars.