What Just Happened? No, seriously, what just happened?
Last week I saw What Just Happened, starring Robert DeNiro. Trailer Website Imdb Page
In the film, Robert DeNiro plays a Film Producer. I now know why my company decided to change our titles from "Project Manager" to "Producer." From what I gather, Producers do a lot of talking on the phone and a lot of driving. They have strained family relationships because they work all the time. They are the ones who have to deliver bad news, get yelled at, appease everyone else around them, make sure things start on time, end on time and are delivered to the studio in the manner they want it delivered. There seems to be a lot of risk and change management as well. I could totally do that job.
So DeNiro has just finished a film starring Sean Penn. And at the end of the film, a dog gets shot and everyone is horrified, so DeNiro has to convince the director to edit the scene so the dog doesn't get shot - all in time for Cannes. Meanwhile, his next film is about to start filming. It stars Bruce Willis and DeNiro has to convince Willis to shave his mountainman beard before filming can begin. All the while, he is going to therapy with his ex-wife so they can learn to be apart and learns that his daughter from his first marriage was dating a DB agent who has recently killed himself.
Overall thoughts: I would have enjoyed it more had the people sitting in our row weren't snoring. It was a little slow. While I did laugh out loud more than once, I could have used a little more humor. I think it was more a story about a guy with a demanding job and the toll it takes on him and his relationships more than about a film producer - which I enjoyed. DeNiro could have easily been playing an lawyer, investment banker, or an ePrize Project Manager (who are, oddly enough, now called Producers).
Next Review: Rachel Getting Married
In the film, Robert DeNiro plays a Film Producer. I now know why my company decided to change our titles from "Project Manager" to "Producer." From what I gather, Producers do a lot of talking on the phone and a lot of driving. They have strained family relationships because they work all the time. They are the ones who have to deliver bad news, get yelled at, appease everyone else around them, make sure things start on time, end on time and are delivered to the studio in the manner they want it delivered. There seems to be a lot of risk and change management as well. I could totally do that job.
So DeNiro has just finished a film starring Sean Penn. And at the end of the film, a dog gets shot and everyone is horrified, so DeNiro has to convince the director to edit the scene so the dog doesn't get shot - all in time for Cannes. Meanwhile, his next film is about to start filming. It stars Bruce Willis and DeNiro has to convince Willis to shave his mountainman beard before filming can begin. All the while, he is going to therapy with his ex-wife so they can learn to be apart and learns that his daughter from his first marriage was dating a DB agent who has recently killed himself.
Overall thoughts: I would have enjoyed it more had the people sitting in our row weren't snoring. It was a little slow. While I did laugh out loud more than once, I could have used a little more humor. I think it was more a story about a guy with a demanding job and the toll it takes on him and his relationships more than about a film producer - which I enjoyed. DeNiro could have easily been playing an lawyer, investment banker, or an ePrize Project Manager (who are, oddly enough, now called Producers).
Next Review: Rachel Getting Married
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