The Disaster Artist

Greg Sestero recounts, with co-writer Tom Bissell, how The Room, the 2003 film written, produced and directed by its star Tommy Wiseau, came to be made. Sestero met Wiseau in a San Francisco acting class in 1997 and was both puzzled by his eccentric manner and drawn to his boldness. The book follows their odd friendship, Sestero's own struggles as a young actor, a chaotic shoot paid for by Wiseau's seemingly endless money, and the contradictory stories Wiseau told about his past. The $6 million film took in just $1,800 and closed after two weeks, then became an international cult hit with costumed screenings and plastic spoons. A 2017 film adaptation was directed by and starred James Franco.

Austin Kleon, a longtime viewer of The Room, called it a total behind-the-scenes trip and said the good reviews for the film version came as no surprise to him.