The Room (2003)

A happy-go-lucky banker sees his world fall apart when his friends begin to betray him one-by-one.

Director:

Tommy Wiseau

Writer:

Tommy Wiseau

Stars:

Tommy Wiseau, Juliette Danielle, Greg Sestero

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Tommy Wiseau	...	Johnny
Juliette Danielle	...	Lisa
Greg Sestero	...	Mark
Philip Haldiman	...	Denny (as Phillip Haldiman)
Carolyn Minnott	...	Claudette (as Carolyn Minnot)
Robyn Paris	...	Michelle
Mike Holmes	...	Mike (as Scott Holmes)
Dan Janjigian	...	Chris-R
Kyle Vogt	...	Peter
Greg Ellery	...	Steven
Kari McDermott	...	Party Member #2 (as Kari Mcdermont)
Jennifer Vanderbliek	...	Party Member #3 (as Jen Vanderbliek)
Daron Jennings	...	Barista #2
Frank Willey	...	Coffee Shop #4

Storyline

Johnny is a successful banker with great respect for and dedication to the people in his life, especially his future wife Lisa. Johnny can also be a little too trusting at times which haunts him later on. Lisa is a beautiful blonde fiancé of Johnny. She has always gotten her way and will manipulate to get what she wants. She is a taker, with a double personality, and her deadly schemes lead to her own downfall. Mark is a young, successful and independent best friend of Johnny. He has a good heart, but gets caught up in Lisa's dangerous web and gives into temptation. This eventually brings him to great loss. Claudette is the classy, sophisticated mother of Lisa who has had disappointing relationships in her life. She wants her daughter to be married as soon as possible so she can benefit. Denny is an orphan boy, naive and confused about life, love, and friendship. Denny is very ambitious and also very grateful to the people that are in his life. "The Room" depicts the depths of ...

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Plot Keywords:

friendship | love | fiancé | friend | orphan | 

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Taglines:

A film with the passion of Tennessee Williams.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality, language and brief violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 June 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Soba

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chloe Productions, TPW Films, Wiseau-Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shot simultaneously on 35 mm film and high-definition video. Tommy Wiseau was confused about the differences between the formats, so he used both cameras on the same mount. He also purchased the cameras, instead of renting them as film productions usually do.

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Goofs

When Johnny overhears Lisa talking about how she cheated on him, he decides to record her phone calls. However, the recorder suddenly appears in his hand and a tape is in his chest pocket. It is unclear where he gets either of these items, since this was a decision he made on the fly.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Johnny: Hi, babe. I have something for you.
Lisa: What is it?
Johnny: Just a little something.

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Connections

Referenced in Development Hell: It Was My Goat! (2013)

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Soundtracks

"You're My Rose"
Performed by Kitra Williams
Written by Kitra Williams and Wayman Davis
Music written and arranged by Wayman Davis for Nu-Rhythmn

User Reviews

A True Outsider Masterpiece

Perhaps the best testament to the greatness of "The Room" is its utter indescribability, its curiously strong resistance to mimetic, second-hand description. Sure, you can easily sum up the banal, cliché plot, or approximate the mind-bogglingly amateurish acting and the hole filled, insanely convoluted, and just plain weird screenplay. You'll make yourself laugh as you quote choice lines ("Hi Doggy!" "I feel like I'm sitting on an atom bomb that's about to explode!" "The world would be a better place if everyone loved each other." "Oh hi _______!" "Chocolate is the symbol of love." "Cheep cheep cheep!" et al) and mime Wiseau's hilariously awkward motions and slurred cadences ("It's not true, I did not hit her! I DID NOOOOT."). You'll try in vain to convey the sheer weirdness of the incessant football playing, the hilarity of the jogging at the park, the brilliance of Chris R., the beautiful blue-screened rooftop, the horrific sex scenes that never seem to end, the mantra-like, gut-wrenchingly saccharine pop songs that accompany said sex scenes, and the inescapable, mind-erasing voids of Lisa and Claudette's mother-daughter one-on-one's. However, frustratingly for the would-be promoter of the film, these sorts of descriptions do little in the way of actually capturing the genuine magic that occurs when one sees "The Room" for the first time.

After hearing about the film on NPR, my interest was peaked. Soon after, I discovered that there were several clips of the film available to view on Youtube. After watching the rooftop conversation between Johnny and Mark, and an excerpt of the tuxedo-clad football game, I was sold. Living over 2000 miles from Los Angeles, I knew my only option was to purchase the DVD, which retails for about $11 on Amazon. Later that week, I found myself staring at Wiseau's curiously droopy face and preparing, at long last, to watch "The Room." Words fail to describe my experience; I was immediately hooked. Now, several months later, I've watched the film close to ten times, and I can say without hyperbole that it has become more fascinating and hilarious with each viewing. If you're reading this and you're on the fence about whether or not to go to a screening, or to spend the $11-$15 for the DVD, fear not – you will regret nothing. In fact, you'll begin to wonder how you lived for so long without seeing "The Room." Well, what are you waiting for? "DO YOU UNDERSTAND LIFE??!!"