First Hit: What made this film likeable was that it put forth a version of Hollywood, and how it works, from a producers point view. And although the producer is on a down slope, watching him maintain a level and illusion of power is stressful and funny in a dehumanizing way.
Robert De Niro plays Ben a producer who at one point in time was powerful in the Hollywood Studio world. The film begins with a pre-test of his latest film by a young wacky avant-garde director.
The film that is being previewed stars Sean Penn who likes the edgy and horrible ending. Because he is tied to the film it is getting a preview at Cannes. The pre-test reviews and data say this film isn’t any good and the studio head wants to pull it from Cannes unless the director re-cuts it. The ending simply makes the film unwatchable.
The meeting with studio head (played by Catherine Keener) where Ben and the director (played by Michael Wincott) must hear how the studio wants the film changed brings out the best in these three characters. Robin Wright Penn plays Kelly the second of Ben’s ex-wives.
Ben still has feelings for Kelly (played by Robin Wright Penn) the second of his ex-wives. So he still tries to see her outside of their “breakup therapy”. The first ex-wife, with whom he has a daughter named Zoe, is getting $30,000 a month. That along with the two children he has with Kelly means he has a lot of pressure to keep making films and good ones because there is a lot of money owed each month.
Additionally, each of his wives lives in a really nice home while he is living is a very modest apartment. He is very nervous because his next film is about to be cancelled by the studio because the talent, Bruce Willis playing himself, is being rebellious. Bruce is supposed to play a romantic lead in this film but he doesn’t want to shave his huge beard and is challenging the studio.
The studio says “no way” to the beard and, therefore, is threatening to cancel the film because they don’t think that an overweight bearded Bruce in a romantic lead can be sold to the public.
The scene of with Ben, the studio reps, and Bruce’s agent waiting for Bruce to walk out of his trailer with or without beard is priceless.
De Niro is better in this film than he was with Pacino in “Righteous Kill” (reviewed earlier). It is clear he knows the character and the script. Willis is great as Bruce. Robin Wright Penn is good as conflicted ex-wife that still has some feelings for her emotionally detached ex. Barry Levinson directs this with an even hand and his knowledge of both the business and his directing craft make this film work.
Overall: I enjoyed the premise. It does transcend Hollywood because there are millions of businessmen who also have huge obligations and bend and BS their way through situations just to make others happy and the situation work. In the end we sometimes end up in mediocrity.