Hollywood loves looking in the mirror, even when it's embarrassed by what's staring back (which, frankly, isn't often enough). What Just Happened, Barry Levinson's riff on producer Art Linson's 2002 movie-biz memoir, has more clichés than a season of Entourage: weaselly agents, spoiled stars, and sleazy foreign financiers with statutory arm candy. De Niro, taking a break from broad comedy (thank God!), shines as a frazzled producer with two exes and a pair of celluloid nightmares — a pretentious Sean Penn flick whose ''edgy'' ending features a dog getting shot, and a big-budget headache starring Bruce Willis, who refuses to shave his bushy, Talmudic beard. The message is: Everyone in Hollywood lies...mostly to themselves. The point is proven all too well on the EXTRAS commentary when Levinson and Linson crack up at their own wheezy gags. B–
Filling in the Plot: Bruce Willis digs deep with Robert De Niro and John Turturro
EW's GRADE
B-Details Release Date: Feb 24, 2009; DVD Release Date: Feb 24, 2009; Movie Rated: R; Genres: Comedy, Drama; With: Robert De Niro; Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
You Might Also Like
- Movie Review What Just Happened
- Movie Preview What Just Happened
Movie Calendar
- January 3
- January 4
- January 6
- January 13
- January 20
- January 27
- February 3
- February 10
- February 17
- February 24
- March 2
- March 9
- March 16
- March 23
- March 30
- April 4
- April 6
- April 13
- April 20
- April 27
- * Dates subject to change
Add your comment
The rules: Keep it clean, and stay on the subject or we might delete your comment. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us. An asterisk * indicates a required field.