What Just Happened

Ben (Robert DeNiro) is one of Hollywood's 30 most powerful producers (so he tells us personally) and the movie starts with him at a test screening of a new film by a British director called "Fiercely". The audience does not react well to the film and the ending has a shocking thing that disturbs most of the audience. This causes huge problems for tough minded studio head Lou (Catherine Keener). Ben must juggle the director, Lou as well as another project starring Bruce Willis. Willis has showed up on set with a shaggy beard and 30 pounds of extra weight. This is a problem for the studio. In addition to his work woes, Ben is dealing with two ex-wives and children as well as other aspects of his personal life.

If the goal of this film is to dismiss the glorious mythos of Hollywood, then it succeeds. Ben and his problems throughout the movie are as mundane and boring as it gets. As he drives from one place to another constantly with a blue tooth headphone in his ear, talking quickly and smoothing over problems. The life of a Hollywood producer couldn't possibly be more monotonous and boring. Even when he's having obscenities hurled at him by an actor the level of excitement never really rises. Which is kind of odd because you would expect it too.

I can't be entirely sure that the goal is to dismiss the mythos of Hollywood. It may in fact be that this movie is so poorly constructed that it just makes you bored. As we get this insider look (which has been better done via parody) we also get a glimpse of Ben's private life. And I say glimpse because its always quick and not very well fleshed out. Again perhaps because his life is consumed with his job but there is an entire sub sub plot with one of his daughter's that makes less than zero sense and has no satisfactory conclusion.

DeNiro is blissfully underplayed. No over the top bad ass here. In fact he's about as weak kneed and spineless as you might expect of a Hollywood producer. Not to demean producers but life has to suck pretty bad when you are basically being manhandled on a daily basis by studio heads and prima donna actors. The only one in the movie who shows any emotion is Bruce Willis playing himself and even his outbursts seem stilted and unconvincing.

The film is boring and low key and honestly upon consideration I'm amazed I sat through the entire thing. Which is really to bad because DeNiro and director Barry Levinson gave quite an entertaining film in Wag the Dog eleven years ago.