I'm Still Here

I don't know how I remembered this (because I never remember stuff like this when Jim tells me to), but tonight's the night that Joaquin Phoenix will be on Letterman for the first time since that bizarre stunt he pulled last year.  While I don't generally watch Letterman, I'm looking forward to this interview now that the whole hoax has been exposed.



I never believed that Joaquin had gone off the deep-end. Not for a minute. And yet, when the reviews of the movie, I'm Still Here, first started coming out about a week ago, many critics weren't sure. If it was a documentary, then it is a very dark and sad one that surely marks the end to this talented actor's career. If it was a mockumentary on our society's fascination with celebrity melt-downs, then it's missing the social commentary - and therefore, what's the point? Personally I chose to see it as a piece of performance art - and now it has been more or less confirmed as such.



Jim n' I have had several debates over this. He argues that if there's no smart commentary, then there's no point to making a movie about an actor who appears to be losing his mind. While I feel that if the performance art sparks conversation, then isn't that the point? I say move over Lady Gaga with your dresses of flesh (umm... gross), Joaquin Phoenix is the real performance artist of today.

However, I think his whole space cadet act would've been more effective if he spent more of this past year out in the public eye, doing the sort of stuff that other train wrecks can't help but avoid.  Crawling his way on to all the covers of trashy tabloids, and really trying hard to convince everyone that the whole situation was more of a legitimate meltdown than a questionable mockery.  I don't know, maybe he should've gotten out of a few limos without his panties on, a la Linsey, Brittany and Paris... or maybe not.

Even if he did, I still don't think I would've believed it. His brother-in-law, Casey Affleck (yes, that's Ben's little brother, who is married to Summer Phoenix), is the director for I'm Still Here, and I don't believe that the people who love you, would ever exploit you like that. Then again, I've never caught an episode of Living Lohan.