What to watch: ‘The Room’ by Tommy Wiseau

“I did not hit her. I did naht! Oh, hi Mark.”

For those of you who don’t know the origin of this quote, it is from the 2003 cult-classic film “The Room,” written, directed, produced by and starring Tommy Wiseau.

Despite its abysmal rating on Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb and across the Internet, this film is finally getting another crack at the public eye. Sort of.  

The trailer for James Franco’s movie “The Disaster Artist,” based on the book of the same name that chronicled the making of “The Room,” was released this week.

The trailer shows Franco, who portrays Wiseau, struggling to get through a scene where he emerges onto the rooftop, attempting to say the lines, “I did not hit her. It’s not true. It’s bull----. I did not hit her. I did not. Oh, hi Mark.” Eventually, Franco says the line in perhaps the most iconic way possible, changing film history forever. The film also stars Seth Rogen, Dave Franco, Josh Hutcherson, Hannibal Buress and Zac Efron among others.

“The Room” follows the life a successful banker named Johnny living in San Francisco with his fiancée Lisa. Johnny’s best friend, Mark, ends up having an affair with Lisa, which is the crux of the whole film. Other important characters include Claudette, Lisa’s mother, and, Denny, Johnny and Lisa’s neighbor.

The overall plot isn’t necessarily important. The film doesn’t hold viewers’ attention with a riveting story, full of intricate plot lines that tie up neatly before the credits roll. In fact, it’s quite the opposite — what the film provides is stilted acting, cringeworthy sex scenes and laughable non sequiturs.

After watching the film, it’s clear why it has such a cult following. Its obvious cinematic flaws only contribute to its identity as the best worst film ever made, but others have called it a masterpiece of outsider art. So, who’s right?  

Regardless of opinion, “The Room” has made an impression on audiences who committed to watching the film. “The Disaster Artist” will come to theaters this December, giving fans of the original film and fans of Franco the opportunity to come together for another dose of Johnny.