History Film / TheRoom2003

* NeverTrustATitle: ''The Room''. Despite the title, the characters are neither [[ClosedCircle trapped in a room]] nor is there anything particularly strange about their apartment. [[WordOfGod According to Wiseau]],[[invoked]] the title refers to a person's HappyPlace, [[VoodooShark which only makes sense for about three seconds.]] According to Sestero, ''The Room'' was originally conceived as a [[BottleEpisode one-set stage play]], but the [[ArtifactTitle title never changed when Wiseau pivoted to the scre]].

* NeverTrustATitle: ''The Room''. Despite the title, the characters are neither [[ClosedCircle trapped in a room]] nor is there anything particularly strange about their apartment. [[WordOfGod According to Wiseau]],[[invoked]] the title refers to a person's HappyPlace, [[VoodooShark which only makes sense for about three seconds.]] According to Sestero (Oh hai, Mark), it was supposed to be [[BottleEpisode a play that all takes place in the same room]], to save money on sets. He just [[ArtifactTitle never changed the title when transitioning to screen]].

* CatchPhrase: One of the major themes is the constant repetition of a certain few lines of dialogue by various characters. They include:
** "O hai, X!" This is used by all characters, and in such a way that they all seem constantly surprised to see each other show up.
** "Everything will be fine" and "Don't worry about it." For whatever reason or reasons, no one really wants to confront the seriousness of anything that's going on in the story, from doomed marriages to cancer.
** "It's an awkward situation."
** Various characters state that Mark is Johnny's ''best'' friend.
** Johnny is a ''wonderful person''.
** "[She is/You are] my future wife." Why he doesn't use "fiancée" is never explained in-universe.[[note]]According to ''The Disaster Artist'', Wiseau was insistent that there only be English in the film, which apparently excluded even French loanwords like "fiancée."[[/note]]
** "Thaatz the eyedeeah!" Wiseau loves saying this in his trademark heavy accent.
** "You owe me one."
** "Let's go ''hooome''."
** "I don't wanna talk about it."
** Mark repeats "What's going on?" every time Lisa tries to sleep with him.
** "I have to go." Even if the character ''just arrived''.
** And, on the same note, "I'm very busy", even if they're clearly not doing anything, [[WhatExactlyIsHisJob as most of them are]].
** "Haaaaah?"
** "Cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep!"

* DramaticIrony: Johnny kindly (and very [[MoodWhiplash suddenly]]) sets aside his anger over Lisa's false accusation of domestic violence[[note]]Though in another example of irony, he does shove her when they later confront.[[/note]] to lend a sympathetic ear to Mark as he talks about ''his'' girl problems. Johnny hasn't a clue that the girl Mark mentions he's seeing is Lisa.

* GargleBlaster: Half scotch, half vodka, served neat. Scotchka! (This is often preceded by a [[AudienceParticipation chant of "Scotchka!" from viewers]].)

* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: Mark and Lisa keep seeming to change between intended sympathetic characters and {{Jerkass}}es, ''especially'' Lisa. Also, Lisa's friend Michelle. Is she supportive of Lisa cheating on Johnny or not? Make up your mind, Wiseau![[note]]Though Michelle does get more and more disgusted with Lisa's actions as the film progresses as she realizes just how much harm Lisa is potentially doing.[[/note]]

* CharacterDevelopment: Mostly {{averted|Trope}}. The only characters who change during the film are Denny, who comes to terms with his feelings for Lisa via a "heartfelt" conversation with Johnny, and Lisa herself, who becomes increasingly unpleasant as time goes on, eventually flaunting her affair and making up a pregnancy to needle Johnny. Mark shaves his beard at one point, and the same amount of attention is paid to this as many an ImportantHaircut ... but it doesn't mean anything. ''AT ALL.''

** "[She is/You are] my future wife." Why he doesn't use "fiancée" is never explained in universe.[[note]]According to ''The Disaster Artist'', Wiseau was insistent that there only be English in the film, which apparently excluded even French loanwords like "fiancée."[[/note]]

The film was theatrically released only in UsefulNotes/LosAngeles for OscarBait purposes, and was advertised by a single [[http://www.searchlightmagazinearts.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/The-Room-billboard.jpg vague billboard consisting entirely of Wiseau's face staring down at visitors]] in the area. The billboard remained in place for ''years'' before being covered over, long after the film was out of theaters and residents wondered what the heck "''The Room''" was -- which helped contribute to its cult status as [[ViralMarketing word of mouth]] spread about how downright ''bizarre'' it is.

It was exposed to a national audience for the first time by Creator/AdultSwim on AprilFoolsDay 2009. Wiseau was also the focus of a ''Series/TimAndEricAwesomeShowGreatJob'' episode which aired immediately after the 2009 showing, causing Adult Swim fans to refer to it as ''[[FanNickname The Tim and Eric Movie]]''. A Podcast/RiffTrax commentary for the film was released the same year, and WebVideo/RedLetterMedia followed with its own commentary track. WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic and WebVideo/ObscurusLupa also reviewed it in 2010, and were immediately forced by Wiseau Films to take the reviews down due to alleged copyright infringement.[[note]]However, after both reviewers argued that their videos were covered by the “parody and criticism” precedent of fair use doctrine, the reviews were reinstated soon after.[[/note]] There is also [[VideoGame/TheRoomTheGame a Flash game tribute]] to the film [[https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/547307 here]], and Website/{{Kickstarter}} funded a May 2015 live show as well.

It was exposed to a national audience for the first time on Creator/AdultSwim on AprilFoolsDay 2009. Wiseau was also the focus of a ''Series/TimAndEricAwesomeShowGreatJob'' episode which aired immediately after the 2009 showing, causing Adult Swim fans to refer to it as ''[[FanNickname The Tim and Eric Movie]]''. A Podcast/RiffTrax commentary for the film was released the same year, and WebVideo/RedLetterMedia followed with its own commentary track. WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic and WebVideo/ObscurusLupa also reviewed it in 2010, and were immediately forced by Wiseau Films to take the reviews down due to alleged copyright infringement.[[note]]However, after both reviewers argued that their videos were covered by the “parody and criticism” precedent of fair use doctrine, the reviews were reinstated soon after.[[/note]] There is also [[VideoGame/TheRoomTheGame a Flash game tribute]] to the film [[https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/547307 here]], and Website/{{Kickstarter}} funded a May 2015 live show as well.

* DiedOnTheirBirthday: The final scenes take place at a birthday party for Johnny. After learning the infidelity about his girlfriend Lisa and his friend Mark, Johnny kicks everyone out, trashes his apartment, and finally [[DrivenToSuicide commits suicide by gunshot]].

* ABirthdayNotABreak: Johnny finds out about Lisa and Mark on his birthday and [[spoiler: kills himself]] as a result.

** After [[spoiler:Johnny's dramatic suicide]], the credits start rolling to an incredibly cheesy R&B softcore soundtrack ("You Are My Rose"), that played at the second sex scene.

!!You're troping me apart, Lisa!

-->'''Lisa:''' Who are you calling a bitch?[[note]]'''AudienceParticipation:''' YOU, bitch![[/note]]\\

* ImportantHaircut: Some attention is given to Mark shaving his beard off partway through, although it's not at all clear what, if anything, this is supposed to signify.[[note]]If ''The Disaster Artist'' is anything to go by, Tommy apparently had it in his head that wearing a tux also meant that one had to be clean-shaven.[[/note]] Given that, after that point he appears to accept his affair with Lisa after complete and utter confusion each time she lures him into sex, it could be argued that Mark's shave was a variation on BaldOfEvil, since he's more of an asshole without the beard.

** An inversion; when Mike and Johnny meet up in the alleyway, Mike tells Johnny about when Lisa and Claudette walked in on him and Michelle having sex... only it's the ''audience'' who already know this, not ''Johnny''.

** An inversion; when Mike and Johnny meet up in the alleyway, Mike tells Johnny about when Lisa and Claudette walked in on him and Michelle having sex ... only it's the audience who already know this, not Johnny.

It was made on a budget of $6 million[[note]]For reference, that's equal to the budget for ''Film/ShaunOfTheDead''[[/note]], yet the only major locales where most of the movie takes place are the eponymous room, a different room and [[SittingOnTheRoof a rooftop]], punctuated with StockFootage {{establishing shot}}s of UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco to spice things up, a car, a park, two alleyways, a café and a 19-second scene in a flower shop. A lion's share of the budget went into the production itself, as Wiseau decided to shoot the film in both 35mm film and digital side-by-side. He also purchased the cameras, instead of renting them as film productions usually do.[[note]]No digital HD footage made it in the final cut.[[/note]]

* EasilyForgiven: Mark ''nearly shoves Peter over the edge of the roof'' and is forgiven ''almost instantly'' in an awkward fashion.

* FlashbackCut: When Johnny goes bonkers and trashes the apartment, he has swift flashbacks to moments with Lisa which adds to his torment.

* GenreShift: The film seems to go through an ''unintentional'' one, contributing to its general weirdness. There are so many gratuitous sex scenes in the first half (set to cheesy synthesized pop music, natch) that the film could easily be mistaken for a softcore porn; even the whole infidelity plot initially just comes off as an excuse to make Lisa have sex with two different men. But around the 45-minute mark, the sex starts to fade away, while the story just gets more ridiculously complex, becoming a straight romantic melodrama.

* DeathOfTheHypotenuse: [[spoiler: Johnny kills himself. However, [[SubervertedTrope Mark rejects Lisa for good.]]]]

* CoitusEnsues: Four times, plus the chocolate session.

* YouOweMe: "I want to talk, right now. [[CoitusEnsues You owe me one anyway]]."

** Lisa is in "the computer business" which could mean anything. Of course, the only thing we see Lisa do is lounge around Johnny's apartment, so it's bordering on InformedAbility.
** All we learn about Mark's job is that he's making some good money (see above). The first time Lisa calls him, he says he's busy, though whether that has anything to do with his job is ambiguous. Especially as when he says this, he's sitting in a parked car, in casual dress. For all we know, he's waiting for his pot dealer. Sestero has said that - in his mind, at least - Mark might be an undercover cop, which could tenuously explain why he keeps his weed hidden inside a brick on the apartment roof and his line "It's clear", which Sestero thought sounded like cop lingo.

* ProductPlacement: There are a few shots of the Disney Store toward the end for whatever reason.

* RageAgainstTheReflection: At one point during his wimp [=BSoD=], Johnny smashes a mirror.

** Johnny, Mark, Denny, and Peter in the scene where they're all wearing tuxedos. They're doing a wedding rehearsal, but ... no one mentioned ''anything'' about a wedding!

** According to ''Literature/TheDisasterArtist'', Mark was named for the [[Creator/MattDamon lead actor]] from ''Film/TheTalentedMrRipley'': "Mark Damon."
* ShowDontTell: Because of Wiseau's ... filmmaking inclinations, this film is a major violator of this rule. We are ''told'', repeatedly, that Johnny is "a nice guy," but we find him laughing at a domestic abuse story at one point in the film. Anything we need to know about a character is told to us point blank, usually awkwardly.

* WineIsClassy: At Johnny's birthday party, nearly everyone has one in their hand, including Denny, ''who isn't even old enough to drink yet''.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: The name's "Denny", not "Danny". It doesn't help that Lisa calls him "Denny Boy" at one point, and it sometimes sounds like she's calling him "Dinny", which is another nickname for the name "Denis". He's even called "Danny" in the beginning.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: The actor playing Peter the psychiatrist had to leave production for another gig, and his scenes weren't done by the deadline (Wiseau had prioritized the "football in tuxes" scene over the scenes at the birthday party), so Wiseau went and cast a new actor to play Peter, then changed the name of the character to Steven, then ditched the suit-and-glasses look for the character so that Steven becomes a random friend who shows up for the remaining 19 minutes with no introduction and delivers an impassioned, if hammy, performance as though he's already deeply invested in what's going on. It probably would have made more sense to give those lines to an already-established character, such as Mike.
* TantrumThrowing: Johnny's tanrum at the end of the film includes him picking up a television set and throwing it out a window.

* ThatMakesMeFeelAngry: Seemingly every scene has a line or two of dialogue where a character just flat-out states how they feel about something.
** "You are tearing me apart, Lisa!!!"

* VoodooShark: The Chris-R scene, which apparently exists only to give Johnny [[spoiler:a gun]], raises far more questions than it answers. Why does the adopted child of a banker who funds his every whim need to sell drugs to make ends meet? If the dealer's going to jail, why don't the police need [[spoiler:his gun]] for evidence? Why the hell didn't Mark just get rid of it if they didn't? And why couldn't Johnny simply [[spoiler:have had a gun, given his (presumed) ability to legally own one]]? Especially ridiculous because Wiseau originally wanted the scene to have a dramatic shot of [[spoiler:the gun]] falling off the rooftop, so even the one storytelling function the scene ''does'' have may be accidental.

* WhatTheHellIsThatAccent: '''Johnny''', very memorably so. Wiseau uses his own accent, which defies identification. He claims to be from UsefulNotes/NewOrleans and to have spent his early life in France, but it's nothing like either one.[[note]]A Website/{{reddit}}or [[http://www.reddit.com/r/theroom/comments/1vklp3/i_think_i_have_found_tommys_nationality_new/ argued plausibly that Wiseau is from Poland]], and the revelations from the 2016 docufilm ''Room Full of Spoons'' and the fallout from a subsequent failed lawsuit by Wiseau collectively confirm his Polish origins, the existence of New Orleans-based relatives, as well as his youth in France -- so his accent could be summed up as a Polish/French/Cajun creole with a touch of [=SoCal=].[[/note]]