What Just Happened, a film directed by Baltimore native Barry Levinson, is a mild-mannered satire about Hollywood and the degradation of art into a commodity. The film is based on producer Art Linson's book, What Just Happened? Bitter Hollywood Tales from the Front Line. As the producer of such films as Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Fight Club, and Into the Wild, Linson knows his business.
The film centers on the career of Ben (Robert De Niro), a Hollywood producer trying to complete a movie within two hellish weeks of his rapidly declining career. Ben represents Jeremy Brunell (Michael Wincott), the rebellious writer/director of a new film called Fiercely. Brunell hopes the movie revitalizes Hollywood and stirs apathetic American audiences to think about what they are watching. The cold-hearted studio executive (Catherine Keener) demands the removal of a crucial scene in order for the movie to be screened, while Brunell protests it is necessary to his artistic expression.
There are only a few serious stings against Hollywood made in What Just Happened, likely because Linson has movies in production. The most serious issue addressed is the conflict between artist and presenter, leading to the question of the value of art. How much should a creative vision be warped in order to ensure an opening weekend of over $25 million?
The stifling of creativity has become commonplace in the movie industry, and this film suggests that money not be the sole factor in determining success. Examples of the bloodsucking, gluttonous nature of business in Hollywood are also prevalent throughout, but this practice should be widely recognized by now. The major satirical device is the movie within the movie, Fiercely, a knock against cookie-cutter plots and happy endings demanded by studios for their funding.
At first, it is difficult to relate to Ben as he drives around Hollywood in a Porsche. It is obvious that power and the fear of losing it are his motivators. However, a connection with the character develops once his sacrifices are made clear, his personal life crumbles and he has to cope with surrendering his career to the powers that be.
Some may initially dismiss the film because of the dry subject matter. Rest assured that the script provides a good story with truthful characters and an entertaining plot. However, some of the camera work of the dialogue was a bit too close-up, lobbing off half of an actor's head. Also, the traffic shots used as transitions were beautifully effective at first, but became too commonplace towards the end.
The soundtrack included a few clichéd accompaniments like those heard in the high tension scenes of action movies. However, the majority of the songs had a great vintage sound that was at times over-the-top or unpleasant to the ear, but always fit wonderfully in the scene.
Overall, Barry Levinson did his job well. The scenes and actors were well-placed and interacted realistically. The stellar cast included numerous notable performances. De Niro was a sly sycophant who transformed into a normal guy just trying to keep his job. John Turturro was very amusing as a nervous agent who bottled so much emotion that it developed into a stomach ulcer. Bruce Willis's entire role was hilarious at his expense, touting around as a Santa Claus look-alike refusing to get in shape. Michael Wincott had some of the most memorable scenes in the film, notably a venomous speech given in French at the Cannes Film Festival cursing Hollywood and their destruction of film.
What Just Happened provided an entertaining insight into movie production for those who have no idea about the process. That being said, there might be a few inside jokes for those in the business, but the film still delivers plenty of laughs. For a Hollywood movie about Hollywood, it leaves the viewer with a type of uncertainty that feels incredibly refreshing after countless predictable endings.
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