Ben (Robert De Niro) is in trouble. One of the films he is producing has had a terrible test screening and the director (Michael Wincott) refuses to make the cuts to salvage the film. The other film he is producing has hit a snag when its star (Bruce Willis) has come to the set with a bushy beard and refuses to shave.  If both of these films tank, Ben just might find himself no longer profitable, and his film career over.

CRITIQUE

I love films about Hollywood. Being a film fan, it’s a given.  And as much as I would want to tell everyone I know to see What Just Happened, I know that the majority of people I recommend this film to would hate it. And it’s not because What Just Happened is a bad film. It isn’t. The problem with What Just Happened is that it is far to Hollywood for its own good. But being that the film is based off of producer Art Linson’s (Fight Club, Heat) memoir, that shouldn’t surprise anyone.

I must admit, my first reaction to What Just Happened wasn’t that good. There were things in it I found funny and though that the film had some wonderful performances - De Niro gives one of his best performances in recent years here – but the film exists as a two week slice of life and never comes to any real resolution.  However, on a second viewing, knowing what I was getting into, I was able to appreciate the dark tragic humor of it all, and was even more amazed at De Niro’s performance of a man who is basically living paycheck to paycheck (he has two ex-wives who have two huge homes, while he lives in a nearly unfurnished studio apartment) and he cannot allow these two films to fail.

But unlike films such as The Player, What Just Happened just isn’t that accessible.  Unless you are obsessed with Hollywood and know (at least a little) about the process of making a film and how difficult it can be, much of the humor of this film might be lost on a wide audience. While The Player is about success and successful people in the film world, What Just Happened is about failure and how those who fail struggle to survive.  There is nothing cheery about this comedy, which will definitely put some people off.  But those who stick around, I feel, will be treated to a nice little look at just how surreal it can be making a feature film.

THE VIDEO

The video quality of What Just Happened is good, but not flawless.  I did notice some compression artifacts, but it isn’t anything that is too distracting. For the most part, the anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen video looks crisp and clean.

THE AUDIO

What Just Happened is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and while the dialogue is clear and never lost under the soundtrack, it doesn’t really offer anything to note.

THE EXTRAS

Commentary by Director Barry Levinson and Writer/Producer Art Linson: A nice and informative commentary track, with both Levinson and Linson being extremely laid back but never dull.

Deleted Scenes: A few deleted scenes (including an extended ending that wraps everything up in a nice neat bow) that were welcome cuts from the film, although nice to see.

What Just Happened: From Book to Script to Screen: A nice little look at how Art Linson’s book caught the attention of those involved in the film.

No Animals were Harmed in the Making of this Movie: A joke featurette (featuring a speaking dog) about how even though we see a dog get shot in the film, no animals were ever put in danger’s way.

Behind the Scenes: Nothing more than a roaming camera person shooting random things during filming.

Casting Sessions: A look at the auditions of various minor roles in the film vs. what the final product looks like. 

FINAL THOUGHT

While not for everyone, What Just Happened does offer a great performance from De Niro as well as an interesting look into the world of film making.