| I'm Still Here | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Casey Affleck |
| Produced by | Casey Affleck Joaquin Phoenix Amanda White |
| Written by | Casey Affleck Joaquin Phoenix |
| Starring | Joaquin Phoenix |
| Cinematography | Casey Affleck Magdalena Gorka |
| Editing by | Casey Affleck Dody Dorn |
| Studio | They Are Going to Kill Us Productions |
| Distributed by | Magnolia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | September 6, 2010 (Venice Film Festival) September 10, 2010 (United States) |
| Running time | 106 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $565,149 [1] |
I'm Still Here is a 2010 mockumentary[2] film directed by Casey Affleck, and written by Affleck and Joaquin Phoenix. The film purports to follow the life of Phoenix, from the announcement of his retirement from acting, through his transition into a career as a hip hop artist.[3] Filming officially began on January 16, 2009 at a Las Vegas nightclub.[4] Throughout the filming period, Phoenix remained in character for public appearances, giving many the impression that he was genuinely pursuing a new career.
The film premiered at the 67th Venice International Film Festival on September 6, 2010.[5] It had a limited release in the United States on September 10, 2010 before being expanded to a wide release a week later on September 17.[6] Although widely suspected to be a "mockumentary", the fact that the events of the film had been deliberately staged was not disclosed until after the film had been released.[2]
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According to Phoenix, the film arose from his amazement that people believed reality television shows' claims of being unscripted. By claiming to retire from acting, he and his friend and brother-in-law Casey Affleck planned to make a film that "explored celebrity, and explored the relationship between the media and the consumers and the celebrities themselves" through their film.[7]
After surprising Hollywood by abruptly announcing his retirement in late 2008—allegedly in order to focus on his music[8][9]—Phoenix and Affleck began filming the documentary, which followed Phoenix as he began a career making hip-hop music while allegedly managed by rap icon Sean "Diddy" Combs.[10]
Shortly after making his rap debut in mid-January 2009,[11] Phoenix appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman to promote what he claimed was his last film, Two Lovers. During the show, a bearded, unkempt, sunglasses-wearing Phoenix seemed incoherent and was largely unresponsive towards David Letterman's questions about the film and his acting career. When the audience laughed at his hip-hop aspirations, Phoenix complained to Letterman that he was being serious.[12][13]
In an interview given earlier the same day for CinemaBlend.com, Phoenix seemed completely coherent.[14] Many rumors circulated that his Late Show appearance had been a hoax, to which Phoenix stated "This is not a joke. Might I be ridiculous? Might my career in music be laughable? Yeah, that's possible, but that's certainly not my intention."[15] Ben Stiller, who appears in the movie pitching Greenberg, parodied Phoenix's appearance, posture and performance as an awards co-presenter at the 81st Academy Awards ceremony. One of Letterman's writers, Bill Scheft, later stated that Letterman was in on the joke during the interview.[16]
After Affleck stated in September 2010 that I'm Still Here was a hoax,[17] a clean-shaven, well-dressed, and lucid Phoenix returned to Late Show to promote the film. Both he and Letterman denied that the host had any foreknowledge of the mockumentary or that the previous interview was scripted. Phoenix said that he expected people would realize that a "35 year-old that says he's retiring from acting" was making "a joke", and that he did not expect the amount of attention his announcement and his Letterman interview would receive. Letterman replayed the end of the previous interview, during which Phoenix removed his sunglasses and spoke to him as the screen faded to a title card. The host stated that the actor had at that moment "broke the character...and everything was fine."[7]
In the film, Spacehog guitarist Antony Langdon, who was one of Phoenix's assistants as well as a musical partner,[18] staged a falling-out with the actor during the documentary's filming and is shown defecating on the troubled actor in retaliation for an earlier argument. In actual fact, the "feces" was a combination of hummus and coffee grounds. The mixture was inserted into a tube that was taped onto Antony Langdon's back that went down to his backside.[19] In an earlier part of the film, there is a similarly shocking scene involving Langdon getting out of the shower. Langdon's time in Spacehog is not mentioned in the film, but a clip of the band performing on television is shown. Singer and bassist Royston Langdon is also credited for one of the film's songs.[20][21]
In May 2010, the film was shown to potential buyers. The Los Angeles Times reported that the film featured "more male frontal nudity than you’d find in some gay porn films and a stomach-turning sequence in which someone feuding with Phoenix defecates on the actor while he’s asleep". Also, the film is said to depict Phoenix "snorting cocaine, ordering call girls, having oral sex with a publicist, treating his assistants abusively and rapping badly." Reportedly film buyers, after seeing it, were still uncertain whether it was a serious documentary or a mockumentary.[22]
Upon its release I'm Still Here had a 54% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[23] Critics were divided on whether to interpret the film as documentary or performance art.[24][25][26] Roger Ebert, who gave the film three out of four stars, wrote the following:
A mind is a terrible thing to waste. The tragedy of Joaquin Phoenix's self-destruction has been made into "I'm Still Here," a sad and painful documentary that serves little useful purpose other than to pound another nail into the coffin. Here is a gifted actor who apparently by his own decision has brought desolation upon his head. He was serious when he said he would never act again. He was serious when he announced a career as a hip hop artist. He wasn't goofing when he was on the Letterman show. He was flying into pieces.[...]
All of this is true. At least we must assume it is. If this film turns out to still be part of an elaborate hoax, I'm going to be seriously pissed. Actually, there are subtle signs it might be.[27]
Box Office Mojo reported a worldwide gross of $568,963 as of June 2011.