What Just Happened

Producers are people too – Levinson’s adaptation of the book by Art Linson (a producer by trade) doesn’t offer anything particularly innovative. The intertwining of the story involving an unsuccessful film (don’t kill children and dogs) with Ben’s effort to make things right is imaginative except for the use of an unimaginative soundtrack, but it fails to take advantage of the analogy between the self-reverence of art and that of certain people. The film doesn’t have a proper beginning or ending; it rather goes in circles and allows the unchanging characters to behave only in the way we would expect from actors in a Hollywood comedy. The problem lies in the nature of the work, which is not exclusively comedic, as it plucks a not straightforwardly sad but somehow sadly deaf string. This is also due to De Niro’s tired performance, whose Ben doesn’t give the impression of being aggressive enough to succeed in the face of overwhelming competition. I like films set in the world of filmmaking, the biting ones showing us that not even the biggest stars lack a sense of humour. Unfortunately, however, this satire has only a set of poorly fitting dentures. 65% (16.11.2011)

An endearing Hollywood satire poking fun (not only) at Hollywood, pulled above average mainly by De Niro's performance and the bearded, choleric, fantastic Willis. What Just Happened isn't a salvo of jokes, and it certainly won't entertain everyone, but if you're in the right mood for it (and if you're not expecting a completely different movie), I think it'll easily take hold. "Okay. Let's go tell him to shave." (19.12.2010)