QUICK TAKES: The Disaster Artist, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and Call Me by Your Name

Courtesy of A24

 The Disaster Artist
(Rated R for language throughout and some sexuality/nudity.)

The cast: James Franco, Dave Franco and Seth Rogen.

What it’s about: The Room is frequently cited as “the greatest bad movie,” becoming a cult phenomenon and inspiring Rocky Horror-style, audience participation screenings. So how does something that terrible get made in the first place? Director James Franco attempts to answer that question by introducing mainstream audiences to mysterious filmmaker Tommy Wiseau (played by Franco) and chronicling his budding friendship/business relationship with eventual co-star Greg Sestero (Franco’s real-life brother Dave), as well as the troubled production of The Room and its eventual bonkers premiere.

The good: I can’t recommend watching The Room unless you’ve had a few drinks first, but James Franco is astonishing as Wiseau. It would be easy to do an impression of the guy’s unique accent (and many people do), but Franco approaches him as a person instead of a punchline. It must’ve been difficult to simultaneously direct while appearing in so many scenes, but he does a terrific job with both aspects.

As good as he is, his younger brother Dave might be even better as Sestero, the more well-adjusted of the duo. He’s the audience surrogate, the guy who realizes Wiseau is bonkers but also sees a spark of creativity in him that he can’t run away from. That’s why his scenes as the intermediary between his crazy friend and the rest of the world are so entertaining.

Watching him serve as an interpreter of sorts as bewildered cast and crew members (including Rogen, Ari Graynor, Josh Hutcherson and Zac Efron) gape at him is hysterical. Franco assembles a killer supporting cast filled with hilarious comedians. Most of them aren’t on screen very long, but they all get a chance to make memorable impressions.

The not-so-good: As entertaining as The Disaster Artist is, it can’t help but feel like a giant inside joke. Granted, if you understand the warped cultural history of The Room, it’s an incredibly funny inside joke. But I can totally see random moviegoers stumbling into the theater based on the cast and being utterly confused. For those on the fence, “Ed Wood” is probably a decent barometer. If you liked that good movie about a terrible filmmaker, this one might be in your wheelhouse.

Grade: B

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Courtesy of Fox Searchlight

(Rated R for violence, language throughout, and some sexual references.)

The cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Lucas Hedges and Caleb Landry Jones.

What it’s about: Writer-director Martin McDonagh (the brilliant In Bruges) returns to the big screen with this pitch-black comedic drama about a grieving mother (McDormand) who takes matters into her own hands when the local cops fail to solve the case of her daughter’s rape and murder. Holding the revered chief of police (Harrelson) personally responsible, she rents three billboards leading into her town and posts a message questioning his skills. The chief shrugs it off, but it enrages his hotheaded second-in-command (Rockwell), who overreacts and violently escalates the situation.

The good: McDonagh is an incredible writer, so the dialogue in Three Billboards is profane poetry. Like most of the former playwright’s work, the plot essentially serves as a morality tale – which means the characters live in their own heightened reality. I’ve seen several reviews dismiss the film as unrealistic, but it seems to me like those critics misunderstand the borderline absurdist tone of McDonagh’s work.

While the subject matter is bleak, the gallows humor provides a welcome equilibrium. Of course, it helps that the filmmaker utilizes an incredible cast to recite his words, a great many of which are unprintable. McDormand is so ferocious she might as well have a giant tattoo on her forehead that reads “give me the Oscar.” While that might sound exhausting, she delivers passionate, angry work that commands attention.

Rockwell is also fantastic in the film’s showiest role, starting off as a stereotypical redneck racist cop and slowly transforming into…well, not a better man exactly, but at least a more complicated one. However, the standout for me is Harrelson; his ailing police chief is far from perfect, but he serves as the film’s heart. He doesn’t have as much screen time as I would’ve liked, but his presence is felt in practically every scene.

The not-so-good: McDonagh’s trademark dark humor and sudden tonal shifts could prove off-putting for some viewers, as could the story’s purposeful lack of easy answers. It’s a deeply philosophical movie that asks its audience to explore the darker aspects of humanity. I love that kind of stuff, but those looking for a carefree night at the multiplex might feel differently.

Grade: A-

Call Me by Your Name

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

(Rated R for sexual content, nudity and some language.)

The cast: Timothee Chalamet, Armie Hammer, Michael Stuhlbarg and Amira Casar.

What it’s about: In the summer of 1983, 17-year-old Elio (Chalamet) spends his days at his family’s villa in northern Italy while his professor father (Stuhlbarg) conducts research. When his dad’s grad student intern Oliver (Hammer) arrives, Elio is shocked to discover himself falling for him. Over the course of the summer, the two young men forge a strong bond that will change their lives forever.

The good: Call Me by Your Name is a stunningly gorgeous movie thanks to Sayombhu Mukdeeprom’s rich cinematography, which captures stunning views of the Italian countryside. The music is also great, thanks to some period appropriate song choices. But those aren’t the biggest selling points.

What most viewers will be talking about is the scorching chemistry between relative newcomer Chalamet and Hammer. The former actor is having a killer year between this film and Lady Bird, while the latter has apparently realized his calling isn’t in disappointing blockbusters like The Lone Ranger, but in more interesting, emotionally riskier fare.

Chalamet captures the cockiness that comes with being a good-looking, fiercely intelligent teenager on the cusp of adulthood, while Hammer conveys the conflicting emotions of someone who’s attracted to someone younger and the same sex when he’s not “supposed” to be. Both aspects place his character in a precarious position that could ruin his career, if not his life. Does he make the socially acceptable safe decision? Or does he follow his heart?

However, the most affecting, scene-stealing performance comes from Stuhlbarg. As Elio’s loving father, he delivers a monologue in the movie’s final act that packs an emotional wallop so powerful that I still get chills thinking about it weeks later. The film has been generating Oscar buzz since it premiered, with Best Picture and Best Actor nominations all but guaranteed. I really hope Academy voters remember Stuhlbarg when they’re filling out their ballots.

Director Luca Guadagnino and screenwriter James Ivory (adapting Andre Aciman’s popular novel) somehow manage to convey that exciting, uncertain feeling of passionate attraction and first love. No matter your sexual preference, it’s a distinct sensation that’s almost impossible to describe, but you know it when you feel it. Call Me by Your Name miraculously captures it.

The not-so-good: Even though I really liked Call Me by Your Name, I’ll be the first to admit it moves at a glacial pace. This allows the audience time to get to know the characters, but at 132 minutes, it could feel never-ending to some viewers.

Another big concern is the massive level of hype the film has generated from both critics and general moviegoers. When something gets that much praise so quickly, there’s always a chance the reaction could be “Wait, that’s it? What’s the big deal?” As long as you temper your expectations going in, you should be fine.

Grade: B+