A striking - and pretend - portrayal of a tumultuous year in the
life of internationally acclaimed actor and two-time Oscar nominee
Joaquin Phoenix, I'm Still Here stands as the directorial debut of
fellow Oscar nominee Casey Affleck.
It is sometimes funny,
sometimes shocking, yet always riveting (in a car crash kind of way) –
a portrait of an artist at a crossroads. Defying expectations, it
deftly explores notions of courage and creative reinvention, as well as
the ramifications of life spent in the public eye.
As a stand
alone film, I’m Still Here is far from perfect, it is highly disposable
and a poor attempt at a more "dramatic" Borat (hell, it even involves a
cringe worthy "men in bed" moment like Sacha Baron Cohen's far more
successful Borat) – however when looked at as a piece of a much larger
social media experiment, I'm Still Here is a pretty astonishing
achievement.
Many people are complaining that the movie was
rendered "pointless" when it was revealed that the whole thing was just
an elaborate ruse, a well crafted hoax. People's main problem – "It's
not real!".
However, is that really true?
For two
years, TWO YEARS, Phoenix’s public persona WAS his I’m Still Here
character. It WAS a reality to the public – it WAS just as real as any
other celebrity we hear about on the news, on the web or in the tabloid
rags.
I’m Still Here is also one of the finest studies of the
power and impact of celebrity and the viral nature of the internet. It
is a perfect bookend to a decade which has been defined by the "Paris
Hilton / Charlie Sheen / Lindsay Lohan" tabloid fame generation.
Again, the film itself doesn’t hammer this home, but every piece of press that had surrounded it for the past two years does.
And
– can I just say – Phoenix is also responsible for one of the most
recognisable images of the last five years. The dishevelled, bearded,
big glassed, hobo in a suit is instantly associated with the project
and the actor. How many cinematic creations can say that beside James
Bond... and maybe Bruce Willis' Die Hard clothes?
Well worth
checking out, but do yourself a favour and research the rest of the
puzzle. It makes for a much more interesting artistic experience. DVD Special Features
The movie itself was a giant critical and financial bomb, taking in
less than $450,000 in the United States. That's a pretty big damn two
year risk for Jaoquin. It's the one time where his guy would surely
sink and he would think "Maybe I'm not as funny as I think I am".
The
DVD is a must watch however, with a bunch of deleted scenes and one of
the very few audio commentaries which MUST be listened to.
Conclusion - Movie: 75% Extras: 70%
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