In some respects, the title of "What Just Happened" could refer to the career trajectory of its maker, Barry Levinson.
At one time, Levinson was one of the best directors working in Hollywood, and then somewhere around 1992's "Toys," he apparently lost his directing "chops" and hasn't really recovered.
Fortunately, this goofy, sporadically amusing satire is a career bounce-back of sorts. While he's not completely back on his game here, at least the film might make us forget about 2006's disastrous "Man of the Year."
"What Just Happened" is based on Art Linson's tell-all memoir, subtitled "Bitter Hollywood Tales From the Front Line." Robert De Niro stars as a fictional version of Linson, a Hollywood producer named Ben.
This veteran is trying to salvage his latest project, a dark crime thriller starring Sean Penn (who plays himself, hilariously). The movie has tested badly with audiences, and the studio exec (Catherine Keener) is now insisting that edits and other changes need to be made.
Meanwhile, there's also strife with his latest ex, Kelly (Robin Wright Penn), with whom Ben is still in love. And a paunchy, bearded Bruce Willis is providing headaches on a movie set.
The philandering Ben is not the most likable of characters, though De Niro does appear to be having fun playing him. And the supporting cast is good as well.
In addition to solid turns from Keener and Wright Penn, John Turturro shows up as a hypochondriacal agent and Michael Wincott steals scenes as a temperamental filmmaker.
But the film's best bits are those in which Willis and Penn spoof themselves. (Willis plays himself as a foul-mouthed, hard-to-please "diva.")
"What Just Happened" is rated R and contains strong sexual language (profanity and crude slang terms), some strong violent imagery (shootings and violence against animals, shown in movie footage), drug content and references (prescription drug abuse), brief gore and blood, implied sex, and brief partial male nudity. Running time: 102 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com