Breaking: Guess they couldn’t stand keeping a “secret” any longer. Casey Affleck has admitted to the New York Times today that the recently released “I’m Still Here” documentary and Joaquin Phoenix’s two-year-long terrorist-look/hip-hop career attempt was all a put on.
“It’s a terrific performance, it’s the performance of his career,” Affleck said of Phoenix’s gonzo-esque, bearded and tattered appearance and drug-addled mien that has garnered headlines for almost 24 months, including a mumbly, incoherent appearance on Late Show With David Letterman in 2008.
“The reviews were so angry,” Affleck said. While some of us — including The Playlist — assumed that (at least) some of the documentary and Phoenix’s mental breakdown depicted therein was the real deal, the director/actor fully admitted virtually every moment of the doc was a fabrication.
Even the opening shot that purports to be Phoenix as a child in Panama was seemingly just actors that Affleck hired. Yet still he curiously says, “I never intended to trick anybody. The idea of a quote, hoax, unquote, never entered my mind.” And yet, apparently Letterman wasn’t in on the joke and we imagine he’s not going to be too pleased when Phoenix is back on the show next week to ostensibly bare his soul and/or confess to it all himself. We’re sure his publicist’s phone is ringing off the hook right now.
We were personally had. We didn’t think Phoenix would be the type, but we’re not angry and agree, it’s a brilliant stunt to partake in for 24 months. That’s immersion into character, goddammit. “I’m Still Here” opened in New York last week and will begin expanding into further markets this Friday. The film was also part of the currently ongoing Toronto International Film Festival. Why would anyone, including ourselves, buy this act at all you ask? Well, parts of it did seem too outlandish to be fake. “There were multiple takes, these are performances,” Affleck said, noting that convincing Phoenix’s agent was tough. “You would think he would have me killed immediately.”
It is a brilliant stunt to be sure, but oof, there won’t be a lot of goodwill from paying audiences for either of these two for some time. But, in a way, it’s good to know Phoenix is back. He is still kooky (who would actually commit to this kind of thing??), no doubt, but the man can act, perhaps best evinced in the outrageous, “I’m Still Here,” which had many of us fooled. Nothing to see here, please disperse.
