Review of I'm Still Here (2010) by Steven A — 25 Jun 2011

A film about surrendering oneself to the creative process and all the changes you go through along the way. "Life is a journey that goes round and round and the end is closest to the beginning. So it's change you need, relish the journey.

" Change IS a good thing. Life is a constant trial of ups and downs where we only want to embrace the good moments. What this movie suggests is that low points have just as much significance as any high point in one's life, if not more so, and deserve to be embraced.

Very true when considering the greatest pieces of art, writing and music have all come from vexatious times in an artist's life. It's important to relish every dip, peak and valley along your own life journey.

Reconciling yourself with this is paramount to success. The movie also isn't afraid to poke fun at itself along the way. A truly original piece of filmmaking that had many people fooled, maybe at least until it came out.

Joaquin Phoenix is a great actor and as this movie proves, an auteur as well (along with Casey Affleck who has the acting chops to go with it). Hollywood could use more of this kind of charismatic filmmaking today; ones that focus on unconventional ideas.

This piece in particular focuses on a difficult, often misunderstood subject in today's world: celebrity. Phoenix deserved more recognition than he got. Because just like his character, I certainly feared that maybe he really did ruin his career for bit there.

But the fact I felt that shows that it succeeds in realism. Some detractors of the film may complain about how genuine it is. But I don't see it as completely fake (I rather enjoyed how genuine the transition itself really was).

Because even if Phoenix's motives to become a rapper are not 100% genuine, everything he goes through is, since he is playing himself we still see him go through all of these real changes on camera.

There in lies the half-truth of Phoenix's role. This movie has to hit home for him, it certainly did for me. And I really came away with a lot.