I'm Still Here (I) (2010)

Documenting Joaquin Phoenix's transition from the acting world to a career as an aspiring rapper.

Director:

Casey Affleck

Writers:

Casey Affleck, Joaquin Phoenix

Stars:

Joaquin Phoenix, Antony Langdon, Carey Perloff

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joaquin Phoenix	...	Himself
Antony Langdon	...	Anton
Carey Perloff	...	Play Director
Larry McHale	...	Himself
Casey Affleck	...	Himself
Jack Nicholson	...	Himself
Billy Crystal	...	Himself
Danny Glover	...	Himself
Bruce Willis	...	Himself
Robin Wright	...	Herself
Danny DeVito	...	Himself
Jerry Penacoli	...	Himself
Susan Patricola	...	Herself
Patrick Whitesell	...	Himself
Nicole Acacio	...	Herself

Storyline

In 2008 while rehearsing for a charity event, actor Joaquin Phoenix, with Casey Affleck's camera watching, tells people he's quitting to pursue a career in rap music. Over the next year, we watch the actor write, rehearse, and perform to an audience. He importunes Sean Combs in hopes he'll produce the record. We see the actor in his home: he parties, smokes, bawls out his two-man entourage, talks philosophy with Affleck, and comments on celebrity.

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Plot Keywords:

actor | rapper | mockumentary | hoax | gullible | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual material, graphic nudity, pervasive language, some drug use and crude content

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site [jp]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 September 2010 (Australia)

Also Known As:

I'm Still Here: The Lost Years of Joaquin Phoenix

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$96,658 (USA) (10 September 2010)

Gross:

$408,719 (USA) (29 October 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

They Are Going to Kill Us Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Towards the end of the movie, there is a scene where Joaquin Phoenix is sitting with his father, at a table, drinking beers. In reality, this man is not Joaquin Phoenix's father, but actually Casey Affleck and Ben Affleck's own real-life father.

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Goofs

When Phoenix first meets Diddy in the hotel, he knocks on the door on the right side of the hall, then the camera switches and Diddy is opening the door on the left side of the hall. It can't just be a change in camera angle since the door is the last one on the hall.

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Quotes

Joaquin Phoenix: Do the snow angel, dude. I can reach you, do the fucking snow angel. Dude, do the fucking snow angel. Do the snow angel, man. Do the fucking snow angel, dude. Do the fucking snow angel!

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Connections

Features Extra (1994)

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Soundtracks

"Lavo Techno"
Written by Christopher H. Knight
Performed by Christopher H. Knight

User Reviews

To be, or not to be . . .

"Joaquin, I'm sorry you couldn't be here tonight." David Letterman

As a piece of performance art, I'm Still Here is as good a mockumentary about celebrity insanity as you will ever get, except, of course, for This is Spinal Tap, which is the real deal of satire. Director Casey Affleck follows his brother-in-law for more than a year after Phoenix's decision to retire from his successful acting career and become a hip-hop artist.

The iconic, Nick-Nolte-like image of Phoenix with a beard and sunglasses, a sort of Blues Brother and Smith Brother all in one, is both hilarious and sad, depending on whether you believe the story of his retirement or see it as a smart marketing campaign for this film and his career. His expertly scoring blow and constantly smoking weed have an authentic air about them although a good actor could simulate. His abuse of his many paid assistants is accurate for a star but almost unbelievable for such a talented one (Walk the Line, Revolution Road). The poor quality of the sound and image makes it a Blair-Witch kin or a device to evoke realism.

I am a disbeliever because although Phoenix convinces me he is sincere about retirement, the actual lack of talent he has, evidenced more than once in the film, leads me to think it's a finely-wrought hoax. No actor as smart as Phoenix could ever judge himself talented, especially as he forms a relationship with Sean Combs, one of the great rappers of our time and in the film a shrewd judge of Phoenix's sophomoric attempts. Phoenix's gig with Letterman, see quote at beginning, could have been a part of the hoax. Throwing up after a performance looked real enough.

Phoenix could make himself into a minor rap artist if he wanted—witness his successful learning to play guitar and sing as Johnny Cash—yet it seems he prefers not to learn well just so he can fail and return into acting, where the dollars will follow.

The title is instructive—does it mean the acting Phoenix is still here, or does it suggest his whole persona—musician and actor—is here. I don't know the answer; I just know my film critic side thinks it sees a con.

If it is all true, Joaquin Phoenix will have time to get back to his real talent, acting. If not, he'll spend time mending a reputation he has willfully wrecked.