What Just Happened

Ben, a veteran Hollywood producer, is overwhelmed by professional and personal problems as Fiercely struggles in post-production. He faces mounting pressure from the studio while his marriage frays, pulling him in every direction. The mounting stress sets the stage for dramatic clashes over the film's ending and his career's future.

A test screening exposes serious problems with Fiercely, particularly its controversial ending in which the main character and his dog are killed. The audience reaction is muted, and executives worry about reputation and potential cuts to other scenes. Ben's decisions become a focal point for the studio's demands.

Studio executive Lou Tarnow accuses Ben of using the dog's death as a bargaining chip to avoid trimming other problematic scenes. She threatens to pull Fiercely from Cannes and take over editing unless the dog’s death is removed. Jeremy Brunell protests, throwing a tantrum during the meeting.

Ben learns his second wife Kelly is having an affair with Scott Solomon, adding personal betrayal to his already fragile life. The revelation deepens his sense of isolation as he fights to separate his personal life from Fiercely's fate. He must navigate this tension while attempting to stand firm against studio demands.

Scott Solomon, a married screenwriter, pushes a new screenplay that catches the eye of Hollywood power players, with Brad Pitt soon attached to the project. The development fuels Ben's paranoia about losing control of his own film. The industry pressure intensifies as the project becomes leverage in the deal.

The studio threatens to cancel a Bruce Willis movie over his refusal to shave the large beard. Ben’s career hinges on getting Willis to cooperate, making the beard dispute a pivotal obstacle. Attempts to reason with Willis meet with a violent, adamant response from the star.

Ultimately, Jeremy relents and re-edits Fiercely so the dog survives in the final cut. The compromise placates some, but tensions remain as the film's tone is still debated. Ben begins to push for Willis's beard resolution while preparing for Cannes.

Ben tries to persuade Willis's agent, Dick Bell, to have the beard removed, but the effort ends with Dick being fired. Willis eventually agrees to shave, allowing production to continue, but the diplomatic consequences linger. The behind-the-scenes power plays ripple through the cast and crew.

A week later, Ben, Lou, and Jeremy travel to Cannes to seek a Palme d'Or for Fiercely. At Cannes, Jeremy sneaks in another edit, killing the dog again and adding nearly a full minute of bullets firing into the victims. The new ending alienates many in the audience.

The Cannes screening reveals that the revised ending crushes Fiercely's chances for the competition while angering many critics and attendees. Some applaud the audacity, including Sean Penn, but the overall reception is mixed or hostile. The studio's hopes for a prize collapse in real time.

Lou Tarnow makes a sharp exit from Cannes on the studio's private jet, leaving Ben stranded in France. The move signals a swift cooling of support from the studio and a rapid shift in Ben's standing. The decision leaves everyone stunned as they face the consequences back home.

Ben finally makes it home, arriving just in time for Vanity Fair's photo shoot featuring Hollywood's top thirty producers. The debacle at Cannes haunts the shoot, and publishers project a bleak future for Ben's reputation. He is relegated to the far edge of the photo, underscoring his fall from grace.