Levinson, a master at ensemble pieces (hello, Diner), conjured an incredible cast for this peek behind the Hollywood curtain. The screen is littered with terrific actors turning in fantastic work. From Robin Wright Penn as De Niro’s still amorous, if conflicted, ex-wife to John Turturro as an ulcerated, beleaguered agent, every scene is a trip to the actor candy store with Bruce Willis, Stanley Tucci and Catherine Keener, oh my.
Sadly, while the performances are engaging, the film feels like one exhaustively long inside joke that 99 percent of the audience is left out of unless, of course, you live on your blue tooth, navigating the 405 between meetings at Sony and Universal. Grade: C
What Just Happened releases in select theaters Oct. 17.