The Disaster Artist

Cert: 15A; Now showing

James Franco is not an artist who could be accused of predictability. From blockbuster to arthouse, rave review to critical decimation, the actor, writer, director and producer has covered all bases.

His latest offering has received surprisingly even praise and while I am among those who found it very funny, it will leave a lot of people cold.

But few would dispute that it is a great story.

The 2003 film The Room has cult status, mainly for how bad it is but also for its mysterious star and maker, Tommy Wiseau (James Franco).

He first appears in a San Francisco drama class (run by Melanie Griffith) where Greg Sestero (Dave Franco), struggling to emote, is blown away by Tommy’s freedom of expression.

Tommy, despite his eastern European accent and somewhat worked face, insists he is 19 and from New Orleans and the two strike up a friendship and move to LA.

Acting work proves elusive so they decide to make their own film funded by Tommy’s mysterious millions. The shoot was not simple.

The Disaster Artist faithfully recreates scenes from The Room, stay for the end credits, and although it’s not necessary to have seen the original, it does help to YouTube the highlights, James especially is fascinatingly good and I didn’t get a sense that they were mocking Wiseau so the tone is not mean.

Cameos include Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Sharon Stone.

Although the humour is Marmite, the story is good.