The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made by Greg Sestero, Tom Bissell

When Greg Sestero wrote his memoir The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside the Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made, he hoped to offer readers an intimate account of his experience as an actor in the making of what has since become an infamous cult classic—The Room. With a pitch-perfect blend of comedy and heartwarming nostalgia, Sestero gives an honest and sometimes heartbreaking look into the insanity of the production and a rare insight into his relationship with the film’s enigmatic mastermind, Tommy Wiseau.

In 2003, Greg Sestero was an aspiring actor looking for an opportunity to make it big in Hollywood. When he bumped into a mysterious character called Tommy Wiseau in an acting class, Sestero was immediately taken aback. With his unidentifiable accent, long black hair, and bombastic style, Wiseau quickly became a source of amusement and confusion for Sestero, but the two hit it off and before long they began performing sketches together in a nightclub.

After months of improvs and performances, Wiseau pressed Sestero to take one of their sketches to the silver screen. Unprepared for the experience, both actors emerged from their trip without a clear understanding of the filmmaker’s process. Still, the two managed to scrape together funds to make the film, and within a year, shooting began in a warehouse converted into an apartment reminiscent of the one Wiseau and Sestero rehearsed in.

What followed were two months of chaos and wild creativity. Taking on the leading roles, the actors experienced a strange mix of exasperation and enthusiasm as they grappled with the director’s eccentricities and questionable decisions. Through it all, however, Sestero and Wiseau’s friendship managed to remain intact, and at times, even encouraged the director’s offbeat vision.

With its rash of unfathomable decisions and comically awkward performances, The Room quickly culminated into one of the most beloved bad movies of all time. Humiliated yet surprisingly proud of the final product, Sestero found himself leading with his heart and defending the oddball vision of his friend. From the absurd publicity stunts he performed in support of The Room to the constant ridicule of uninvited press and audience members, nobody seemed to enjoy the film as much as Sestero did while playing his role as the Disaster Artist.

For those looking for a deeper understanding of the movie’s creation, Sestero’s memoir offers an insightful and irreverent glimpse into the murky world of independent filmmaking, the bizarre relationship between Wiseau and himself, and his personal journey of self-discovery in honoring the memory of his beloved friend. Through his uniquely hilarious anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories, readers are given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to relive the shenanigans of a wonderfully foolish man and an unforgettable classic.