What Just Happened? (2008) - Synopsis
What Just Happened? is a satirical comedy about two nail-biting, back-stabbing, roller-coaster weeks in the life of Ben (Academy Award® winner Robert De Niro; Meet The Parents, Heat) a middle aged Hollywood producer trying to juggle his work and private life in tinsel town.
Ben is already in over his head trying to balance the tug-of-war of having two ex-wives and two different families with his latest business venture – the boldly “visionary” movie Fiercely starring Sean Penn (played by himself; 21 Grams, Mystic River) when everything that can go wrong, does go wrong.
Fiercely looks like it is going to be an audience-offending flop which the hard nosed studio chief Lou (Catherine Keener; 40 Year Old Virgin, Capote), insists will only see the light day if Ben convinces drug-addled director Jeremy (Michael Wincott; The Count of Monte Cristo, Before Night Falls) to re cut the finished product.
Meanwhile in his private life, he can’t stop thinking about his ex, Kelly (Robin Wright Penn; Beowulf, Breaking and Entering), is shocked by his daughter Zoe (Kristen Stewart; Panic Room, Jumper) in her readiness to grow up and infuriated with his friend Scott (Stanley Tucci; The Devil Wears Prada, Lucky Number Slevin) who’s not only trying to make a deal with him but also making moves on his former wife……….
On his next project he’s trying to deal with the artistic temperament of his leading man; Bruce Willis (played by himself; Live Free and Die Hard, Sin City) whilst receiving no support from Bruce Willis’ spineless agent Dick (John Turturro; O Brother Where Art Thou, The Big Lebowski).
Somehow amidst the madness, treachery, deceit, huge egos and personal politics behind-the-scenes in Hollywood, Ben has to find a way not just to Cannes with a finished film, but to cope and keep his sanity…
