Tommy Wiseau’s infamous 2003 cult classic film, “The Room” returned to Amherst Cinema on Sunday, Sept. 22 with special guest Greg Sestero for the fourth consecutive year. Greg Sestero, who plays Mark in Wiseau’s film, provided a meet and greet and commentary for the audience during the showing. The theater was filled with Wiseau enthusiasts: some dressed as Wiseau himself, some adorned with “The Room” merchandise. Excited chatter filled the theater as plastic spoons clanked against theater seats. This was no average movie, and this was no average crowd: this was “The Room.”

Describing “The Room” is an almost impossible task. This movie is by no means an easy watch. The plot makes no sense, the characters are bizarre, and the only person who knows what is going on is the creator himself: Tommy Wiseau. Wiseau is an interesting man; little is known about his wealth, his past or even where he’s from. Wiseau is an enigma, and that shines through in his film.

Wiseau wrote, produced, directed and starred in “The Room,” his first film. The stories behind this film are extensive; from Wiseau himself not knowing any of his lines, the various dubs over the film, the millions of dollars spent and the friendship between Sestero and Wiseau are something of folklore to the film community. The rough outline of the film revolves around Wiseau’s character, Johnny, and the love triangle that forms between his fiancé, Lisa, and his best friend Mark. With strange dialogue, subpar acting and plot holes galore, “The Room” may seem like the recipe for a horrible film experience, but I beg to differ.

This film may be considered one of the worst films ever made, but I truly believe there is something in it for everyone. Besides the hysterical and iconic lines ranging from, “Oh, hi Mark” to “Good doggie” to the infamous, “You’re tearing me apart Lisa,” Wiseau himself is such a character you can’t help but be interested in. He is utterly bizarre and one of a kind. As strange as he is, he grows on you through his oddness. The Letterboxd average ratings for this film are two different ends of the spectrum with 43,000 ½-star ratings, and 56,000 five-star ratings. The audience reception continues to vary, but diehard fans are still around twenty years later.

Wiseau gives the performance of his lifetime with strange line delivery. He somehow over and under acts, often laughing at the wrong moments and holding a monotone voice. Still, there’s no denying Wiseau steals the show that he created. Sestero gives a somewhat normal performance compared to his cast mates, at times being a little flat in his acting, which makes the script that much funnier. Juliette Danielle, who plays Lisa, gives a solid performance given what she had to work with. None of these actors went on to become big names in Hollywood, but rather, became iconic in this niche film community. They became celebrities to the people who mattered most: the indie, oddball, comical audience Wiseau perfectly spoke to through his film.

I have never seen “The Room” with a live audience before. I knew it to be something similar to the crowd work used in “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” I was not quite prepared for just how interactive the experience was. There was shouting throughout, mainly pertaining to the door being left open in the film, that left filmgoers screeching. There were certain phrases shouted I was not aware of when I watched the movie at home previously. “Water” and “spoons” were common phrases shouted, followed by the throwing of tens of plastic spoons towards the screen. My friend and I were unlucky enough to get hit with a metal spoon (which is not the norm). This is by no means a typical screening experience you would have in a movie theater. With the near-constant yelling, spoon-throwing and occasional commentary from Sestero, the showing is one of a kind.

I highly recommend going to a showing of “The Room.” It’s most fun to bring friends who have never seen the film before; the film alone will shock them, never mind the crowd. Bring your spoons, a friend and questions for Sestero and be ready for the viewing experience of your life.

Olivia Baier can be contacted at [email protected].