I'm Still Here

Much of the attention surrounding this troubling film initially centered on whether it was real or a hoax. The film itself doesn't answer that question, but director Casey Affleck (who's also Phoenix's brother in law) confirmed that it was indeed an elaborate stunt shortly after the movie's release in Sept. 2010. Frankly, either way, the movie raises some interesting questions about celebrity privilege and categorization. Phoenix (or at least the "character" he's playing in the movie) assumes that because he's famous, he can start his rap career right away, without working for it. On the other hand, who's to say that he can't switch careers?

Affleck's direction is intimate, but not exactly pretty. The sound isn't good, and Phoenix's songs are usually muddled (what is audible sounds awful). The film itself is sporadically funny, and the star's behavior is so abominable that it's both fascinating and aggravating. You can almost begin to feel sorry for him; he's clearly crying out for something, but he's so abrasive and selfish that many won't want to stick around. Bottom line? Since it turns out that the film is a hoax, you could argue that this is the performance of Phoenix's career.