Indeed.
And what happened to the question mark from the original title of Art Linson's original collection of entertaining, albeit insular, Hollywood horror stories?
Much like, "Fiercely," the made-up film within "What Just Happened," the book has been muddled and whitewashed in its trip to the big screen. Instead of Alec Baldwin's refusal to shave his Manson beard on the set of "The Edge," we get Bruce Willis refusing to shave on the set of--huh, is the movie's title ever mentioned? It's hard to care either way.
Robert DeNiro, in what must be a favor to Linson, plays a fictional producer with problems. They're not real problems though. We're supposed to feel bad for him when he misses a plane out of Cannes. Or when his ex-wife reupholsters a favorite sofa seat. Those kind of problems.
The building blocks can work. Hollywood has been making movies about movies as long as its been making movies. "Sunset Boulevard," "The Player," and "Mulholland Dr." are among the best. "What Just Happened" is playing the material too straight, assuming it has an audience outside of Orange County.
And what happened to the question mark from the original title of Art Linson's original collection of entertaining, albeit insular, Hollywood horror stories?
Much like, "Fiercely," the made-up film within "What Just Happened," the book has been muddled and whitewashed in its trip to the big screen. Instead of Alec Baldwin's refusal to shave his Manson beard on the set of "The Edge," we get Bruce Willis refusing to shave on the set of--huh, is the movie's title ever mentioned? It's hard to care either way.
Robert DeNiro, in what must be a favor to Linson, plays a fictional producer with problems. They're not real problems though. We're supposed to feel bad for him when he misses a plane out of Cannes. Or when his ex-wife reupholsters a favorite sofa seat. Those kind of problems.
The building blocks can work. Hollywood has been making movies about movies as long as its been making movies. "Sunset Boulevard," "The Player," and "Mulholland Dr." are among the best. "What Just Happened" is playing the material too straight, assuming it has an audience outside of Orange County.
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