Review of I'm Still Here (2010) by D Jey M — 30 Nov 2010

You know they say a terrible auto accident is so awful, you can't look away? Well this is the cinematic equivalent of a multi-car pile up that is so strenous and hard to watch, but somehow you feel riveted and attached to the sometimes disgusting material on screen. Yes I understand it is a hoax, but really it is so realistic that I wouldn't have thought twice if it was real. Both Casey Affleck and especially Joaquin Phoenix have created an elaborate and powerful commentary on the nature of a celebrity as well as a impressive piece of performance art by Phoenix.

At the beginning of I'm Still Here we find an artist at a crossroads. The film opens with home videos from Phoenix's childhood and the progression of his promising career. This shows the once normal side of his life as well as the success that may have lead to the debacle he faces. Phoenix soon finds himself tired of acting and revelates to venture to a hip-hop career. The film is basically a deconstruction of Phoenix as his ill-fated rap career never seem to gets off the ground, he loses support from some of his friends and staff, and Phoenix himself (and his personal hygiene) get out of control. The film features a host of celebrity appearances including Ben Stiller, Edward James Olmos, and Sean Combs (whose encounters with Phoenix are probably the most hillarious). The film is meant to be humorous, but it is the kind of humor where you don't understand why you're laughing at Phoenix yelling and insulting Ben Stiller with multiple obscenities but I laughed a lot and felt guilty about it afterwards.

There's no questioning it after this film, Joaquin Phoenix is a masterful performer. Admit it, even you believed the rapping stint he pulled, that is what makes this such a great performance (He had Letterman fooled at least). Phoenix commits himself completely to the role of himself, and he is probably the only actor that could pull this off being his eccentric self. He transforms himself into a hulking, abominable snowman-like creature who snorts cocaine, yells at his friends and assistants, and raps awfully. He's an anti-hero that you want to see fail and almost certainly get a filler of fails that add to a the cringing and the uncomfortable laughing. It's the performance of a lifetime, but probably a bit too early in Phoenix's career for him to pull off this stunt. He needs more Walk The Line's before he could do something like I'm Still Here, but I still applaud Phoenix for an ambitious and well-executed performance.

There's no doubt, I'm Still Here is not for everyone. The vulgarity of the film is probably enough to repulse and disgust the average moviegoer. I honestly cannot recomend this to you if you take offense easily, but to those who can look past and see the art behind it, it will be rewarding. The film shows us the actual human being behind the faceless personality of the celebrity and can also show how a genius may collapse under the weight of his talent and his status. This is certainly an intense and tough film to watch. It is put together about as looseley as Phoenix himself but at its core it is more than just an elaborate spoof, it is a fufilling and thought provoking piece of art.