Review of I'm Still Here (2010) by Kristina G — 28 Jul 2011

I have to admit I wasn't fully clued up on the films true nature when I watched it, so thought afterwards if it wasn't a hoax it was a rather tasteless and pitiful exploitation of a descent into mental illness.

A bit of research reveals that the whole thing was a perversely committed piece of performance "art" which changes things a lot of course. Fair play to Phoenix and Affleck for keeping relatively straight faces for the best part of a year, as Phoenix descends into a rambling and ranting mess pursuing a deluded music career.

Much of the film did set alarm bells ringing as staged or insincere, but there were a handful of truly believable moments, perhaps a credit to Phoenix's skills but it also makes me feel perhaps there was a grain of truth in his madness, Maybe this was some kind of therapeutic journey performed in the media spotlight.

It's not really incisive enough in a critique of celebrity culture to have much bite other than a bit of an extended prank amongst some Hollywood mates, but entertains in a car-crash way.