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What Just Happened?

Play trailer Poster for What Just Happened? R 2008 1h 53m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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49% Tomatometer 140 Reviews 22% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
During the course of an ordinary week in Hollywood, movie producer Ben must navigate his way through shark-infested waters as he struggles to complete his latest projects. A demanding studio boss demands extensive changes to a movie starring Sean Penn, while another chief won't greenlight a project unless star Bruce Willis shaves his beard. Meanwhile, Ben tries to reconcile with his wife and maintain a relationship with his young daughter.
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What Just Happened?

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Critics Consensus

What Just Happened has some inspired comic moments, but this inside-baseball take on Hollywood lacks satirical bite.

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Critics Reviews

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Paul Byrnes Sydney Morning Herald 05/24/2009
3.5/5
It's a pungent film about Hollywood power and a useful manual for young producers on how to stay upright in Hollywood or at least, how to lose your soul with grace. Go to Full Review Philippa Hawker The Age (Australia) 05/21/2009
2.5/5
What Just Happened, despite an air of crisis, feels sluggish and plodding. Go to Full Review David Stratton At the Movies (Australia) 05/20/2009
2.5/5
I don't think it's particularly funny and I think that's the problem with the film. I think it wants to be funny. Go to Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 12/02/2023
2/4
The only appeal is watching the long list of celebrities in the cast poke fun at their industry—a small consolation considering how sharp this film could have been. Go to Full Review Joanne Laurier World Socialist Web Site 09/02/2020
What Just Happened is artistically disjointed and lacking in courage. Apparently the stellar cast wanted to make a hard-hitting piece-the various performers worked for scale. Go to Full Review Kaleem Aftab The List 11/04/2018
2/5
The laboured, almost morose storytelling style doesn't help. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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William S @William104 Jan 6 An absolutely horrible movie. I couldn't even fall asleep to it without a loud phone constantly ringing throughout the show. It's a movie about accepting a movie. Really shows you the fantasy land that some of Hollywood lives in. They couldn't even discern that a phone ringing, loud, and long would not sit well with the viewers. I think this movie was made to spite the audience. See more Ann S @RT39269662 Sep 30 I could not even finish the movie, boring... See more N P @NicSarge 12/10/2024 "What Just Happened" showcased the day-to-day life of a hot shot Hollywood producer down on his luck, whether that be familial, relationally or career wise. It was interesting to see how much weight, busy-ness and a mediator type role a producer plays - that it can get overwhelming, and the film does a good job at portraying that. De Niro plays the titular role endearingly, so the audience can't help but root for him. But, this film, at the end of the day, is aight and may fly past your head sooner rather than later. See more alan g @agenser 04/24/2024 When is hollywood going to realize that DeNiro can't act anymore. Just phoning it in. Waste of time. See more Dani G @RT81139271 02/29/2024 What a waste of time and talent See more Alec B @Alec97 02/28/2024 I think the reason this got such bad reviews is that the movie isn't really a satire despite the fact that it bills itself as one. Its clearly more of a "state of the film industry" (at least as it was in the mid 00s) and it's an admirable attempt at honesty even if it isn't really a compelling one. See more Read all reviews
What Just Happened?

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Cast & Crew

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Barry Levinson

Director

Robert De Niro

Ben

Sean Penn

Sean Penn

Catherine Keener

Lou Tarnow

John Turturro

Dick Bell

Robin Wright

Kelly

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What Just Happened?

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Movie Info

Synopsis During the course of an ordinary week in Hollywood, movie producer Ben must navigate his way through shark-infested waters as he struggles to complete his latest projects. A demanding studio boss demands extensive changes to a movie starring Sean Penn, while another chief won't greenlight a project unless star Bruce Willis shaves his beard. Meanwhile, Ben tries to reconcile with his wife and maintain a relationship with his young daughter.
Director
Barry Levinson
Producer
Robert De Niro, Art Linson, Jane Rosenthal, Barry Levinson
Screenwriter
Art Linson
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Production Co
Linson Films, Tribeca Productions, 2929 Productions
Rating
R (Sexual Content|Language|Some Drug Material|Some Violent Images)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 17, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 25, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.1M
Runtime
1h 53m
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