There isn’t any reality in “I’m Still Here”. There was mostly an overall performance done shown within the “documentary” regarding Joaquin Phoenix’s downward spiral. Casey Affleck, the director of “I’m Still Here,” broke his silence about the movie after it was blasted by film critics who thought it was real after it was released last week. The movie had anything in it staged. Even the appearance on Letterman and the rap performances Phoenix gave on drugs were staged. Phoenix is bound to do well in her career now. Affleck claims “I’m Still Here” was an outstanding performance. Phoenix and Affleck could have very harmed careers now.
The mockumentary of Phoenix
Casey Affleck admitted that “I’m Still Here” was contrived in an interview with Michael Cieply of the NY Times published Thursday. After playing Johnny Cash in “I Walk the Line” and getting an Academy Award for it, Phoenix supposedly had a deterioration of the mind, body and spirit, as shown within the movie. Phoenix committed himself to the performance for two years. His beard was the first thing to change. He grew the beard. He gained weight. Even the TV host on Letterman was totally fooled by his character in a 2009 appearance. Following the critics and public disliked the film so much, Affleck decided it was time to tell the fact. Phoenix will return to Letterman’s show — as Phoenix — on Sept. 22.
Media works to make it more known
An option motive may be in Affleck’s mind as he admit that Phoenix was in “I’m Still Here” as a mockumentary. He may just be trying to get more viewers. The Washington Post reports what two bloggers, Jen Chaney and Liz Kelly, think concerning the whole situation. They think that more viewers will be able to understand the film and want to see what was accomplished after the announcement from Affleck and Phoenix. Phoenix and Affleck did show society that any actor, even Academy Award nominee, can self destruct, whether or not the movie does well.
Deception hurting Hollywood
The Filmmaker didn’t get that good of a response from everyone. The objective is not essential too many. Patrick Goldstein is really a Los Angeles Times Hollywood reported. He suggests a huge backfire will soon come into play for Affleck and Phoenix because of “I’m Still Here”. Show-biz insiders feel, according to Goldstein, the film is, “self-important, exercise in foolishness, concocted by two knuckleheads who seemed peeved either because they did not have successful A-list professions or because they thought the industry was too dull and mindless to allow them to take the kind of bold risks that real artists take.” As for Phoenix’s upcoming appearance on Letterman, one of Goldstein’s sources said “Boy, if Letterman was not in on the joke, he is really going to take that poor guy to the cleaners.”
Additional reading
New York Times
nytimes.com/2010/09/17/movies/17affleck.html?_r=2
Washington Post
voices.washingtonpost.com/celebritology/2010/09/joaquin_phoenix_yes_it_was_a_h.html
Los Angeles times
latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2010/09/will-casey-affleck-end-up-in-movie-jail-after-admitting-im-not-here-was-a-hoax.html
