Highly intriguing documentary chronicling the great Joaquin Phoenix's alleged retirement from acting and his transition to aspiring rapper. Directed by actor Casey Affleck, in his first turn behind the camera.
Like the mysterious Phoenix-saga – his apparent slide down the slopes of sanity and the debate over whether this is all fact of fiction – little is known about the documentary so far. Those of you who've kept abreast of developments will know the story so far, those who don't here's a brief catch up... In late 2008, Phoenix announced he has retired from acting to pursue a career in music. See here for Phoenix's fantastic appearance on David Letterman in early 2009. Then he went to Las Vegas, rapped a bit and fell off the stage. First word on the documentary itself came from an LA Times report in May 2010 that claims it will feature a heavy amount of full frontal male nudity and a stomach-turning sequence in which someone feuding with Phoenix takes a crap on him while he’s asleep.
I’m Still Here echoes Exit From The Gift Shop in its ability to provoke conversations about its truthfulness that dwarf examination of its subject matter, and for many folks like myself this happened before reaching the theatre. That’s a shame, because picking apart this film as it unfolds seriously detracts from the overall experience.
Self-indulgent? Definitely. Funny? Mostly. Real? It actually doesn’t matter. Joaquin Phoenix did stop acting, he did try rapping (sort of), he did embrace the attractive beard and bloat combination, and he did make that awful appearance on Letterman that was the first sign of his new washed-up persona. I’m Still Here gives us Casey Affleck’s account of all of this from inside Phoenix’s inner circle. It seems as if they’re the only two in the film that are in on the joke, and in a way there’s a truth about the staged scenarios and Phoenix’s faux-breakdown that echoes the documentary aspects of Sacha Baron Cohen’s work.
It’s a shame, though, that, unlike Borat and Bruno, both fellows who largely embarrass real-life bigots, Phoenix and Affleck seem to find it hilarious to be pranking everyone. Whilst entertaining viewing, I’m Still Here is nowhere near as clever as it thinks it is and at times seems like the excuse for abusive and juvenile behaviour on Phoenix’s part. Neither he nor Affleck really seem aware of what they’re putting people through – whether it’s the media or Phoenix’s staff, they’re just folks to be played for laughs, unfortunately not quite as many as the boys expect. Still Here, still okay though.
By Steve Newall, Flicks.co.nz
Still a bad, long excruciating one
I disagree with below - I think it's a mockumentary? Like, Borat etc. But regardless, don't go in wondering "is it real or not?"... just treat it as any other movie. I did and loved it - it's not spectacular, but watching someone self-destruct is fantastic viewing if you ask me. It's funny, at times very sad, and always entertaining. Something different, see it.
I found this film highly disturbing and so ugly - like a car crash in slow motion. Phoenix is a sad, deluded and very unlikeable. Hard to believe Affleck, his brother in law, or anyone would film this. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, unless perhaps on DVD if you want to be really revolted.
A sad and painful documentary that serves little useful purpose other than to pound another nail into the coffin. Here is a gifted actor who apparently by his own decision has brought desolation upon his head.
Who cares, finally, whether this is a documentary or not? I'm Still Here paints a convincing portrait of a miserable, frustrated actor who has lived so long in the goldfish bowl that he can no longer conceive of a life beyond acting. Not knowing what to do, he falls back on the only thing he can do. He calls in a film crew to dramatise his torment: an anguished Hollywood brat play-acting the role of an anguished Hollywood brat for the benefit of a movie camera. This, surely, is what makes Affleck's film so funny, and so tragic too. "I'm just trapped in this fucking self-imposed prison of characterisation!" wails Phoenix at one stage, reclining at home while his dogs have sex on the lawn outside.
This sporadically engrossing mockumentary, which gets better as it rolls along, must have been planned way back before Phoenix bombed on "Late Show With David Letterman."
Fake or not, I'm Still Here is no fun to watch, and in fact Phoenix's situation comes off as so dire that it becomes a reason to doubt the film's authenticity. Filming someone having a mental breakdown is embarrassing and exploitative at best.
My guess is that after years of being the trick pony, he wanted to see what it was like to be the ringmaster.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 16th Sep 2010.
Release date: September 16th 2010.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
