The Film
For the casual movie lover, Hollywood is a place of legend. Studio back lots littered with icons of yesterday's classics, celebrity handprints sunken in the sidewalks, the stars of tomorrow working at every corner café – Tinsel Town is undeniably the heart of American moviemaking. For aspiring writers, actors and filmmakers, Hollywood is the hottest house party in town. And every once in a while, someone comes along and tries to burn that house down.
Watch The Big Picture (1989), Swimming with Sharks (1995), For Your Consideration (2006) or Tom Cruise's recent (and hilarious) portrayal of a studio bigwig in Tropic Thunder, and you'll see that someone is always trying to demystify la-la land and show moviegoers Hollywood for what it truly is: a cruel and egomaniacal machine teeming with lies, self-indulgence and greed. The best example of this is Robert Altman's The Player from 1992, where Tim Robbins plays a studio exec being blackmailed by a jaded screenwriter.
Barry Levinson's What Just Happened is the latest sightseeing expedition through the business end of
Hollywood's digestive system, and Robert De Niro is our tired tour guide. De Niro plays Ben, an A-list producer attempting to juggle multiple film projects, several ex-wives and a pudgy Bruce Willis who refuses to shave his Grizzly Adams beard. Willis (who plays himself) is only one of several big name actors who appear in the film, but even its robust star power can't elevate
What Just Happened beyond mild entertainment for current and future Hollywood insiders.
For a second opinion, see David Kempler's decidely less flattering review of the theatrical release of What Just Happened.
The Picture
Magnolia presents What Just Happened in the film's original 2.40:1 aspect ratio. The 1080p video transfer, like the film, is good but not great. Although there are moments of convincing depth and detail, the bulk of the film exudes a flat and two-dimensional look. The film's murky color palette doesn't help things, but skin tones do look natural throughout. Blacks are solid but there isn't a great deal of shadow detail to speak of. Overall, this is a respectable albeit unspectacular presentation.
The Sound
The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack fares a bit better than the video. Dialogue is crisp and intelligible throughout and there is frequent and effective use of the surround channels for ambient effect. Also, since Ben's car radio is always playing the score of whatever film he's working on, there is a surprisingly rich assortment of music from composer Marcelo Zarvos playing throughout the film.
The Extras
Magnolia has given fans a respectable smattering of bonus material to peruse after the end credits roll. In addition to deleted scenes, a featurette on casting and a Barry Levinson/Art Linson commentary, there's also a well-executed "making of" segment which features numerous interviews and a look at the film's page-to-screen adaptation. If you enjoy the movie, the latter is definitely worth a look.
Final Thoughts
Although this is Robert De Niro's movie, John Turturro and Michael Wincott manage to steal every scene they're in. If you're a fan of either actor, definitely give this one a look. For the rest of you, if you enjoy peeking behind the curtain at the great and powerful movie business, What Just Happened is probably worth a rental. It doesn't break new ground and it doesn't have anything terribly original to say, but then again, neither do most Hollywood films.
Where to Buy
Product Details
- Actors: Robert De Niro, Catherine Keener, Stanley Tucci, Robin Wright Penn, Bruce Willis, Sean Penn, Kristen Stewart, John Turturro
- Audio/Languages: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English Dolby Digital 5.1
- Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
- Number of discs: 1
- Rating: R
- Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
- Blu-ray Disc Release Date: February 24, 2009
- Run Time: 104 minutes
- List Price: $34.95
- Extras:
- Audio commentary with Barry Levinson and Art Linson
- Deleted Scenes
- Behind the Scenes
- Casting Sessions
- Making of What Just Happened: From Book to Script to Screen
- No Animals Were Harmed in the Making of this Movie
