Review of I'm Still Here (2010) by Manny C — 26 Sep 2010

I'm Still Here has attracted controversy, ridicule and a lot of confusion over what exactly the point of it all was. It's hard to appraise as a documentary because it was a hoax and, as such, largely staged.

It's enormously entertaining and dappled with humour, but it's far too sincere and ugly to be considered a simple 'mockumentary'. Truth be told I'm not sure what it was I watched, or what the point of it all was, especially since I was watching it after it had been confirmed to be a hoax.

What is remarkable to me is that none of that detracted from my enjoyment of it. The knowledge that what was happening on screen wasn't genuine was hard to cling onto as it competed with Phoenix's intensely convincing, year-long bout of method acting, Affleck's expert direction and a grim desire for it all to have been real.

Whether or not you see any point to it all or choose to see any commentary on fame, Hollywood, identity and a variety of other relevant strands of thought isn't important; this film is a demonstration of Phoenix's immense commitment to his craft.