WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

US, 2008, 107 minutes, Colour.
Robert De Niro, Bruce Willis, Sean Penn, Michael Wincott, Katherine Keener, Robin Wright Penn, Stanley Tucci, John Turturro, Kirsten Stewart.
Directed by Barry Levinson.

An unstartlingly amusing film. Well, the cast is quite striking and A List - but there really are a couple of startling scenes to do with a dog and blood on the camera lens!

Robert de Niro plays Ben, a harassed Hollywood producer, based on prolific producer Art Linson and his autobiography. Linson also wrote the screenplay. Ben is seen sitting at a preview screening of his latest thriller, Fiercely, starring Sean Penn. We see the climax of the film several times in different versions. This is the work of a temperamental British director, accent and all, played excellently by usual villain, Michael Wincott. The hard-headed studio head is Catherine Keener. Stanley Tucci turns up as a writer and John Turturro is a somewhat passive agent.

Meanwhile, Ben is preparing a film to star Bruce Willis. Bruce, unfortunately has grown a long beard and refuses to shave, indulging in verbal and violent tantrums.

As with Hollywood people, there are complicated family issues. Ben takes his two younger children to school and has therapy sessions about how to live apart from his ex-wife, Robin Wright Penn. He also takes a teenage daughter (Kirsten Stewart) from a previous marriage to school and accidentally discovers her relationship with an agent who has committed suicide.

The film reaches its climax in Cannes with a screening of Fiercely, a fiery speech by the director, Sean Penn in attendance – and some gasps and applause.

De Niro worked with Barry Levinson on another media, crisis and temperamental director film, the satire on American propaganda, Wag the Dog.

This is more of a smile film rather than laughs as we look at (an exaggerated?) expose of Hollywood troubles.

1.The popularity of films about Hollywood and film-making? As stories, exposes, humorous and serious?

2.The Hollywood settings, the homes, the emphasis on cars, cars on the freeway, studios, editing rooms, preview theatres, the psychiatrist’s office, the screen sets? The musical score?

3.The Cannes film festival, atmosphere, the Montee de Marches, the Lumiere Theatre?

4.The film within the film, Fiercely, the scenes, Sean Penn as the star, his being shot, rolling down the roof, the focus on the bald killers, the dog? The previous and the spattering of the dog’s blood? The editing room and the friendly dog? The Cannes film festival and the multiple shootings of the dog?

5.Ben, his life, his voice-over? The flashback, the preview, his watching the film, watching the audience, his assistant, watching Lou, the cards and reading them on the freeway, the difficulties? His ability to see the bright side, presenting matters plausibly?

6.The structure and the days, the times, always in a hurry, the appointments, the continuous phone calls, in the car, the pressures?

7.The various personalities in the film world: Lou and her tough attitudes, at the preview, the interview with the director, the issue of the recut? Going to Cannes, the premiere, her face, the reaction – and the irony of her getting the Oscar? Her staff and her treatment of them, the comments, the editor?

8.Jeremy, his arrival, the phone call, the British accent, the argument with Ben, his being on drugs, off, on again? Lou and her reaction to his tantrums? Ben and his attempt at support while trying to get him to change? The re-editing, the pleasant ending? His insulting speech at the Cannes film festival, the final ending shown?

9.Dick, as an agent, his clients, Bruce Willis, pampering himself?

10.Scott, his scripts, going to Ben, alternate producers, the script about the florist, Brad Pitt, his relationship with Kelly?

11.Ben and his family, Kelly, the separation, taking the kids to school, Kelly as pleasant, their talking, the discussion about the sofa, meeting the psychiatrist, wanting to talk about the now, helping them to be apart? Her relationship with Scott? Her phone call to Cannes? The red-coloured sofa?

12.The first wife, his daughter, taking her to school? Seeing her at the funeral, wearing the dead man’s tie, his shock at the affair?

13.The agent and his suicide, everybody’s comments, going to the funeral, Bruce Willis’s speech and his swipes, the reactions, the graveside, Dick and the accident, falling in?

14.Bruce Willis and the satire on himself and his screen personality? His raves, the reputation, his language, smashing everything? The long beard, refusal to shave it, the phone calls, at the funeral, the joke and his shaving half the beard?

15.The plans for the film, the issue of the beard, the studio orders? The director and his anxiety?

16.Ben and his stress, his imagination letting loose, smashing Scott into the car at the funeral?

17.Cannes, Sean Penn’s presence, the screening, the audience reactions, the applause?

18.The aftermath for Ben? A Hollywood story?