What Just Happened?
October 26, 2008
4 stars out of 5
Robert DeNiro is a very versatile actor. You've seen him excel in funny mode, you've seen him excel in serious mode. This is one of those rare films where you can see him in both modes. It was showing on exactly 36 screens in the whole country, so you'd better not blink or you'll miss it. Lucky for me, one of those 36 screens was a half hour away in Berkeley. If you love movies, there are still a few places in the country it pays to live near. When the studio opens a $25 million film on 36 screens, you might get the impression they don't think much of its chances. Which is too bad. DeNiro places a movie producer, and Bruce Willis portrays an insane... Bruce Willis. It is one of those "inside Hollywood" films Hollywood can't resist making, despite the generally dismal record of such films. Even Robert Altman's The Player only grossed $21 million after costing $8 million to make. I don't see $75 million in this film's future. What I do see is two very entertaining hours, with some excellent acting, funny dialog and stingingly painful parodies of Hollywood behavior. I love it. I hope you do too.