Review of I'm Still Here (2010) by Sam F — 09 Oct 2010

A Film Review By: Sam Fragoso.

"I?m Still Here".

***.

Two-time academy award nominee Joaquin Phoenix stars in the documentary or better know as a ?mockumentary?, ?I?m Still Here?.

In the summer of 2008 Joaquin Phoenix announced that he was going to retire from acting and pursue a career as a rapper. You may have remembered his interview with David Letterman on the late night show, that summer or Ben Stiller impersonating him at the Oscars.

But at the time he told us he was quitting, I?m not sure many of us believed him or even if we cared? Yes, I had admired his past works like ?Walk The Line? and ?Gladiator?, but he wasn?t one of my favorite actors or one that I couldn?t live without.

However, as of last month, Casey Affleck, who directed ?I?m Still Here? announced that the whole film was an elaborate hoax. I wish I saw the film before he made the press release. I felt that it took some of the meaning and suspense away, but you start to really appreciate what Joaquin and Affleck have done here.

Not only has he jeopardized his career, but also he?s let himself go. It?s sad, even if some of the material is scripted; some of it is genuinely real. Like when he gains close to 30 pounds, to having a beard like he was one of the unabomber's. But most of all, he?s making himself look like a complete idiot. He meets with ?P-Diddy? and asks him to record a song with him. He even goes farther then that, like when he performs in front of a large crowd in Vegas and one of the people in the crowd makes fun of him. So, he jumps off the stage and starts clocking the guy in the face, not as hoax but as an actual event.

I?m not sure how good ?I?m Still Here? is as a film, but I know I couldn?t keep my eyes off it. Phoenix is mesmerizing and I truly believe that he deserves some Oscar considerations for this. Even if this film is a hoax, he risks his whole career, his reputation and everything else around his life.

Cast.

Joaquin Phoenix.

Sean "P-Diddy" Combes.

Edward James Olmos.

Ben Stiller.

Directed by: Casey Affleck.