I'm Still Here (2010)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Melvin W

  
  Joaquin Phoenix: Did someone just human shit on me?  I think everyone is over thinking I'm Still Here. It's a mocumentary and a damn good one at that. Phoenix wasn't just acting in a movie, but acting in front of the whole world. The David Letterman interview is… More
  Joaquin Phoenix: Did someone just human shit on me?  I think everyone is over thinking I'm Still Here. It's a mocumentary and a damn good one at that. Phoenix wasn't just acting in a movie, but acting in front of the whole world. The David Letterman interview is absolutely hilarious and Phoenix makes it so believable. You have to give Letterman some credit for going with it though. I can't believe he was able to make it through that interview.  I'm Still Here is hoax documentary about Joaquin Phoenix quitting acting and trying to pursue a rap career. Phoenix's performance is off the charts. He kills his performance and really sells the hoax that all this stuff is really going on. He embarrassed himself in front of the whole world just to make this mocumentary. How awesome is that? He faked having a complete mental breakdown. I think it's absolutely brilliant. Besides the Letterman part of the movie; the next best scene is when he gets into a verbal argument with an audience member at his show. It is simply hysterical. It really is kind of irritating how bad the response has been to this film. It's a mocumentary, but a believable one. It's awkward. It's funny. I guess Casey Affleck almost went broke trying to make this movie and had to actually stop filming it in order to be in The Killer Inside Me, so he could finish the film.  Just go into it knowing it's a mocumentary and view it as a work of fiction. It's incredibly funny if viewed that way.

• Lady D

  
  WARNING - SPOILER ALERT! This one is sort of a review of 2 halves for me. The Documentary reveals a whole different Joaquin to the one we see in films as the Actor, it's clear from the film that Phoenix's explosions and tantrums are similar to a young child's… More
  WARNING - SPOILER ALERT! This one is sort of a review of 2 halves for me. The Documentary reveals a whole different Joaquin to the one we see in films as the Actor, it's clear from the film that Phoenix's explosions and tantrums are similar to a young child's outbursts, he is ironically egotistical for a man who feels he affects people in a positive way, hugely controlling and very much a Diva with a small entourage pandering his every need. He then faces a world where he just wants to dive in at the deep end. It's arrogant and very cringeworthy at times and shows Phoenix in a totally repulsive state. There were hints throughout the film as to it's authenticity and whilst Brother-in-law Casey Affleck Directed the film, this could very much have been watching Joaquin commit Career suicide. ...and so it is revealed this is a Mockumentary! Toward the end you are almost hoping that it is and of course turns everything in my review around and of course, Phoenix and others acted their roles very realistically, it was a great stunt and it was pulled off well!

• Kase V

  
  The real beauty of the film and what it's trying to accomplish doesn't seem to settle in until there's about 40 minutes left, in which most audiences will all but already have lost interest and/or respect. 'I'm Still Here' is a remarkable attempt of… More
  The real beauty of the film and what it's trying to accomplish doesn't seem to settle in until there's about 40 minutes left, in which most audiences will all but already have lost interest and/or respect. 'I'm Still Here' is a remarkable attempt of shredding down a celebrity at his height of fame and deconstructing the man that lies beneath. Phoenix shows extraordinary talent as an actor (if, in fact, he was acting) in a role that is close to revolutionary. The haunting images of Phoenix's stolid face, with a cigarette and sunglasses, both which seem omnipresent throughout the film, serve as a brilliant way to show this man's loss of faith and comprehension in the world he is living in. The glasses seem to hide the real man, the man we don't know. Is it all a hoax? Or is the hoax itself a hoax? I'm Still Here's problem is that it alienates its viewer far too easily with its unanswered questions and inconceivable point.

• Steven C

  
  Casey Affleck's "I'm Still Here" is a bit to mean for it's own good. While I think it's deconstruction of celebrity is interesting and relevant, and Joaquin Phoenix's performance is committed, revolutionary and unforgettable, the film never seems to… More
  Casey Affleck's "I'm Still Here" is a bit to mean for it's own good. While I think it's deconstruction of celebrity is interesting and relevant, and Joaquin Phoenix's performance is committed, revolutionary and unforgettable, the film never seems to play fair. It's hard to get your footing when a film is constantly tricking you like this one does. They tell you it's a documentary but it's completely scripted (though the term 'induced documentary' might actually be more fitting). "I'm Still Here" is wily, nasty and often very funny but it's almost begging you not to take it seriously.

• Anthony L

  
  I'm sure that when Phoenix and Affleck came up with this idea, maybe during a family dinner or something?, that it sounded like a really good idea. I suppose I would agree, it is an interesting experiment on paper, just not in reality. Hats off to them for keeping this up for two… More
  I'm sure that when Phoenix and Affleck came up with this idea, maybe during a family dinner or something?, that it sounded like a really good idea. I suppose I would agree, it is an interesting experiment on paper, just not in reality. Hats off to them for keeping this up for two years, that takes commitment, the only problem seems to have been that they ran out of steam after a few months and the message got lost. I would argue that Phoenix's performance is outstanding though, not many actors can do 'breakdown' but his was awesome and he risked his career and was publicly ridiculed and that's where this film's strength is in my opinion. The Letterman interview was brutal but it was Letterman who came out worse as far as I'm concerned, I wanted to look away but just couldn't. I think the way he was treated was appalling, but unfortunately unsurprising in this day and age, I think they were both a little naive to think that this would be revelation. I think a little bit of ego got in the way at times too! It doesn't help that he sings the praises of David Letterman in an interview that comes as an extra on the DVD, adding to the confusion. Two years work without any back up or real explanation? It's messy, confused and not particularly entertaining. It has moments of greatness but overall isn't that great although in 20 years time It will probably be regarded as a work of pure genius, I guess only time will tell. I base my rating on Phoenix's performance, the commitment of everyone involved and the 'future classic' Letterman scene and I'm probably being far too generous. It's a hard fucking film to review!

• Gordon A

  
  Interesting experiment in media manipulation where Phoenix passes off an obnoxious deluded stoner wannabee rapper as himself and Affleck films the consequences. Scores for commitment but ultimately reveals little we didn't know about vacuous celebrity life and his adopted… More
  Interesting experiment in media manipulation where Phoenix passes off an obnoxious deluded stoner wannabee rapper as himself and Affleck films the consequences. Scores for commitment but ultimately reveals little we didn't know about vacuous celebrity life and his adopted personnae is so dull and narcissistic it becomes a chore listening to or caring about his ramblings.

• Curtis L

  
  A bit overlong and ugly, but it's still interesting how dedicated he must have been to make this movie.

• Drew S

  
  Joaquin Phoenix is aware that we probably don't care about what's going on here. So is Casey Affleck. This much is indicated repeatedly through the course of I'm Still Here. If they know we're not going to care, then honestly, why should we? There isn't… More
  Joaquin Phoenix is aware that we probably don't care about what's going on here. So is Casey Affleck. This much is indicated repeatedly through the course of I'm Still Here. If they know we're not going to care, then honestly, why should we? There isn't anything here to get excited about at all - it's a fictional presentation of an overpriviliged white man trolling a bunch of people for a couple of years. Phoenix and Affleck take his antics, some staged and some not, and carve them into a surprisingly basic story of a man's search for personal satisfaction. The only real hook here is the constant blurring of reality and contrivance, done both through the element of performativity (you never know who's in on the joke) and through the way that celebrity in itself shapes perception of a person. In a way, it's sort of clever. But then...who cares? Yup, returning to that again. It's an ugly movie about an ugly person in pursuit of a goal with predictably ugly results. Let's draw parallels to Exit Through the Gift Shop, which also came out this year and has a very similar fact-or-fiction "documentary" construction. In Exit Through the Gift Shop, you witness the birth and death of an art form, a scathing attack on creation and capitalism, and a stunningly subtle turnabout on its attitude toward the man spearheading all of this. In I'm Still Here, Phoenix is reprehensible all the way through. You don't care if it's an act or a not-act or whatever because it isn't funny and it isn't clever and it produces absolutely nothing worth thinking about or analyzing. On every level, it's self-indulgence, and the worst kind of self-indulgence: the kind that, despite having no appeal to anyone outside the project, is packaged and presented as if it would. There seems to be a contingency who thinks that Phoenix is a lost, misunderstood, immensely complex figure, and I could get on board with them feeling that way. Perception is subjective - I happen to think now that this person is just a big idiot who released one vanity project that suddenly got him a new type of attention from some sectors. Now his image, the image he rails against in the first three minutes of the movie, has been successfully transformed. Is it a victory for him, or is it just a plot point, if the movie's really a hoax? Again, who cares? He's asking us to develop new thoughts on him based on his own, purportedly self-regulated presentation of himself, and given that invitation I thought he made a movie that sucked. Successful on his terms, definitely not on mine.

• James A

  
  Nothing but farts.

• Conner R

  
  Whether or not there was any truth to the plight of Joaquin Phoenix and his sanity, it makes for one of the most interesting documentaries to ever be made. This is so centered on the influence of media and fan buzz on a celebrity. You just see this complete downfall of a human being… More
  Whether or not there was any truth to the plight of Joaquin Phoenix and his sanity, it makes for one of the most interesting documentaries to ever be made. This is so centered on the influence of media and fan buzz on a celebrity. You just see this complete downfall of a human being and sure it's sad, but it's also sort've necessary to see. Now I think why a lot of people hate this movie is because they honestly can't tell if this is an extreme method acting performance, a semi-mockumentary or a completely honest account of reality. Every way you spin it, it's well done and completely fascinating. I personally feel that it's a combination of everything. There are times when this plays for laughs, but it's also extremely honest at others. Some of the dialogue and confessions/ramblings of JP are really, really moving and at the very least a great performance. I like that this shows a more full picture as to the events that took place during the transformation, like the aftershock of the Letterman interview and the reaction to P. Diddy's evaluation of his rapping.This is at least worth everyone's time in that it's so bizarre and unlike anything that's been covered in the documentary genre.

• Nate Z

  
  Joaquin Phoenix may not be the most stable of actors, but anyone could have successfully guessed that his public meltdown and entry into rap, complete with a scraggly mountain man beard, was a hoax. Phoenix and his brother-in-law Casey Affleck worked out a two-year piece of… More
  Joaquin Phoenix may not be the most stable of actors, but anyone could have successfully guessed that his public meltdown and entry into rap, complete with a scraggly mountain man beard, was a hoax. Phoenix and his brother-in-law Casey Affleck worked out a two-year piece of performance art, with Phoenix completely committing to his egotistical, self-destructive send-up of actors. Affleck directed the exploits, which is another clue that everything is a hoax. Do you think his brother-in-law, and a respected actor, would film Phoenix going overboard, snorting coke, lying with hookers, having an assistant literally defecate on his face, and then try and turn a buck? I'm Still Here is like a Saturday Night Live sketch, or an improv game, that stretches on forever. Whatever points Phoenix and Affleck may have had in mind get utterly lost at a plodding 108 minutes. The movie feels as bloated as Phoenix's expanding waistline. Phoenix's Andy Kaufman-esque practical joke is admirable, but that doesn't mean anybody needs to see this ramshackle, artless mess. It all comes across like a self-indulgent jape between friends, a personal project that loses all meaning outside a limited circle of friends. Nate's Grade: C

• Spencer S

  
  There is only a hint of comedy in this mainly comic based film. I can see where it was prudent for him to take a public interest and waylay the film in that manner, but it just seems like a waste of time to make this film in the first place. The first half was a giant preamble to the… More
  There is only a hint of comedy in this mainly comic based film. I can see where it was prudent for him to take a public interest and waylay the film in that manner, but it just seems like a waste of time to make this film in the first place. The first half was a giant preamble to the Letterman interview, and then it just all went downhill really fast. That being said, Joaquin Phoenix put on quite a performance. I'm not sure if it was an exaggerated extension of himself or a character he put on, but the arrogance and full on caveman approach was pretty solid.

• Dorian G

  
  This movie is one of the most pathetic documentaries of a human being i will hopefully ever see. What has happened to star so bright? A drugged out overweight hip-hop hopeful, Joaquin has really started to flush himself down the toilet. You see several actors trying to help him out… More
  This movie is one of the most pathetic documentaries of a human being i will hopefully ever see. What has happened to star so bright? A drugged out overweight hip-hop hopeful, Joaquin has really started to flush himself down the toilet. You see several actors trying to help him out with scripts because they recognize his talent but he gives them the ol' screw you! The only part i enjoyed was the end of the movie when he went home to Panama to figure his life out i suppose. It is funny watching someone with a gift throw it away, at least do something productive with your life. I really hope to see Joaquin back into acting but sadly after watching him push away his friends for hookers and coke i wouldn't be surprised if he is dead within a few years.

• Michael S

  
  An in your face, hit and miss mockumentary headlined by a great PERFORMANCE from Phoenix. Has a lot on it's mind and has a lot to say about "celebrity" and the human condition, and even though it doesn't quite add up to a cohesive whole, it's well worth… More
  An in your face, hit and miss mockumentary headlined by a great PERFORMANCE from Phoenix. Has a lot on it's mind and has a lot to say about "celebrity" and the human condition, and even though it doesn't quite add up to a cohesive whole, it's well worth checking out.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Life's a journey that goes round and round and the end is closest to the beginning. So if it's change you need, relish the journey."</i> Documenting Joaquin Phoenix's transition from the acting world to a career as an aspiring rapper.… More
  <i>"Life's a journey that goes round and round and the end is closest to the beginning. So if it's change you need, relish the journey."</i> Documenting Joaquin Phoenix's transition from the acting world to a career as an aspiring rapper. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Just two years after receiving an Oscar nomination for his powerhouse performance as Johnny Cash in 'Walk the Line,' actor Joaquin Phoenix shocked show business by announcing his retirement from acting to pursue a career as a hip hop musician. 'I'm Still Here,' directed by Phoenix's brother-in-law and fellow actor Casey Affleck, tells the story of the star's life change. Supposedly. After Joaquin Phoenix's apparent mental breakdown which came in the form of a legendary David Letterman appearance and a beard to rival that of Zack Galifianakis, many people in & out of the film industry fought to uncover the validity of Joaquin's retirement. Shortly after the release of the 'I'm Still Here,' questions were answered when Phoenix & Affleck admitted their worldwide prank saying that, from the beginning, it was all a hoax. If this admission is true, this film will become one of the most believable & ridiculous hoaxes in a long, long time. Regardless of whether 'I'm Still Here' is actually a hoax (or if the hoax is a hoax, attempting to cover up the breakdown of Phoenix), it is still quite an entertaining film. However, due to the seemingly obscene subject matter throughout the film, it's hard to truly believe that any famous person would allow it to be shown publicly, risking a hugely negative backlash. We see Joaquin snorting coke (off hookers' breasts at one point), spanking naked men with towels, ordering female escorts, and other low-grade behaviour. If all of this actually did happen without elaborate staging, then I send full respect to Mr. Phoenix for having the courage to allow it to be shown on screen like this. Joaquin Phoenix, whether he's playing himself or the insane version of himself, is impossible to not watch, even with his constant arrogant and selfish behaviour throughout. If you watch along believing it just might be real, it will be an emotional roller coaster ride. Even if it is all a hoax, though, it's still one hell of a crazy ride.

• Jake .

  
  Had "I'm Still Here" been released just a couple years sooner, I think it would have taken the world by storm. As it stands now, we've simply seen this before and in much more interesting ways. There was a novel that was very similar to this released last year, but… More
  Had "I'm Still Here" been released just a couple years sooner, I think it would have taken the world by storm. As it stands now, we've simply seen this before and in much more interesting ways. There was a novel that was very similar to this released last year, but for the life of me I cannot think of the title. Also, two summers ago we had Bruno. In many ways, this is the exact same film, just with more of an artistic philosophic manner and less provocative. Even in music, Gaga's single 'Paparazzi' and the entire 'The Fame' album explored many of these same things. So, it's not so much that what Phoenix did is poorly done, as much as just poor timing. And, honestly, the film is boring and Phoenix is obnoxious. In a way, you cannot help but wonder if his career was already dying. I mean, why risk so much unless there wasn't much to lose. Either way, this really doesn't seem like a way to jump start his career. In fact, it seems like many people are sort of frustrated with Mr. Phoenix. I was surprised at how nasty everyone was toward Phoenix in the media. The montage of spoofs and such was one of the film's finest moments. It's terrible and something that we do to everyone. The only other highlight is the film's poster. I personally think it is amazing. Other than those two things, the film kind of sucks. If we could jump back a couple years, maybe things would be different. As it is, the film and possibly even Phoenix will be forgotten in a couple years.

• Lewis C

  
  This has to be one of the most weird and surreal movies that I've ever seen. Watching Joaquin Phoenix bouncing around like a gibbering idiot and rapping in front of Edward James Olmos (rap name: EJO), while a nonsensical voice-over of Olmos rambles about raindrops and mountains… More
  This has to be one of the most weird and surreal movies that I've ever seen. Watching Joaquin Phoenix bouncing around like a gibbering idiot and rapping in front of Edward James Olmos (rap name: EJO), while a nonsensical voice-over of Olmos rambles about raindrops and mountains and inner light...it's just insane. And the entire mockumentary is like that, to varying degrees. Joaquin plays a deranged, drug-using, , prostitute-frequenting, delusional, destructive, bizzaro-version of himself, and I just can't look away. Every time he steps up onto a stage to rap, it's a hilarious train wreck. Even though you can't help but feel painfully embarrassed for the character. The way he berates his assistants, tries to get a friend in recovery to take drugs, constantly surrenders to his own paranoia and delusions, and takes narcissism and selfishness to the furthest excesses, it's all just unbelievably compelling. It's like watching the worst person in the world and wondering what insanity they're going to race towards next. I thought that the performance by Phoenix was great. This is my absolute favorite movie by him, and my favorite "character" that he's played. It's not by accident that so many people thought this movie was a genuine documentary about Phoenix's spiraling life. He genuinely makes the character seem crazy enough to believe that his music is actually good and that the absurd things that he's saying have meaning. It feels real, even when you know it's not. Every uncomfortable, embarrassed and incredulous reaction of his friends and the people he meets just drew me deeper into the world of this bizarre man. I was beyond impressed by what Phoenix and Casey Affleck did with this. When I first heard about it, it sounded like a vanity project that would be an amusing oddity, at best. What I got instead was one of the best movies I've seen this year. It is NOT for everyone. But how can I not rate a movie highly that made me laugh so much, while also making me feel sadness, disgust, pity, incredulity, anger, hope, embarrassment, and ten other things? This experiment was a smashing success, in my opinion, and something truly unique that I'll be thinking about for a long time. I'm Still Here is audacious, ridiculous, and certainly divisive. I can honestly see why some people would hate this movie, and the entire idea behind it. But, long before that perfect ending left my screen, I knew which side of that divide I would fall on.

• c0up  

  
  'I'm Still Here'. Best mockumentary of the year, and an AMAZING performance by Joaquin Phoenix! Especially being in on the joke!

• Aaron N

  
  [about his music] Joaquin Phoenix: I want it to be a hip-hop/bohemian rhapsody thing. I want it to be epic. Mos Def: ...Epic is good. Epic is...epic. A film depicting the transition that Joaquin Phoenix the actor made into Joaquin Phoenix the bearded and overweight actor. I am not… More
  [about his music] Joaquin Phoenix: I want it to be a hip-hop/bohemian rhapsody thing. I want it to be epic. Mos Def: ...Epic is good. Epic is...epic. A film depicting the transition that Joaquin Phoenix the actor made into Joaquin Phoenix the bearded and overweight actor. I am not sure what I would have made of this film, had I have seen it a couple of days beforehand, when it was still unsure whether or not Phoenix had truly sworn off acting, but watching it when I did, I have mixed thoughts. On one hand it is kind of compelling to watch what is essentially a large scale method acting performance taken to its extreme. On the other hand, trying to pick apart the film for where it is that sequences are staged and who is and who isn't in on the joke tends to distract and take away from it. Still, as a whole, the film functions as brutal look at an actor trying to reinvent himself, being embodied with traits that make him unlikable but still portray him as vulnerable. The film starts with Phoenix rambling to his brother-in-law, Casey Affleck (who also directed and edited the film) about how his life as an actor has been fraudulent and he needs to make a change. The film then shows us the seemingly slow demise of Phoenix's sanity, as he swears off acting and begins to start his new career as a rapper. We are never actually given a clear reason why filming all of this was necessary, were it to have been true. A major goal in this film is to have Phoenix record an album under P. Diddy's rap label (credit goes to Diddy for managing to either hold his composure while being in on the joke or acting very professional by taking Phoenix seriously). Other celebs pop up into the film as well, and these appearances fall back into me questioning whether or not they were in on this more than me questioning what they must have been thinking. Joaquin Phoenix: Are we really filming just driving in a fucking car? As the film progresses, we see Phoenix continue to unravel. He gains weight, grows a ridiculous beard, and does drugs in just about every scene. I am not actually sure there is a shot in this film where Phoenix is completely sober. While all of these happenings occur, Phoenix manages to portray himself as narcissistic, quick to point the blame at anyone but himself, and semi-delusional about the goals he has for himself. It's hard to actually state if I liked this film or even if I admired it. The stars really seem negligible here, because as I've said, my feelings are mixed. So really what it comes down to, in terms of recommending this film, are through means of curiosity. If one is interested in viewing this film for the sake of seeing a man, a celebrity unravel, then there is a lot to get from this. I was certainly engaged throughout this film, and that came from what is essentially the performance that Phoenix gave. I still question what I would have gotten from this, were still under the impression that it could be a real documentary (and sorry if that is a spoiler for real life), but this is the point of view I had to come from. However, watching things like the infamous David Letterman appearance, or seeing Phoenix perform on stage in front of thousands, and do so awkwardly and terribly give me a means to at least appreciate Phoenix's performance as a very extreme version of experimental art. As a documentary, the film is not particularly well made in terms of how it's shot and the quality of the audio, etc. But as a look at a man, with us essentially trying to find out what is inside of him that is making him function this way, there is a good enough sense of intrigue there. Again, a recommendation that only comes from curiosity. Edward James Olmos: It's in the darkest moments when the cracks allow the inner light to come out.

• William D

  
  Imagine Anna Nicole Smith's reality TV show released as a feature film. That's what "I'm Still Here" resembles. If it can be imagined, Joaquin Phoenix is even less interesting than Smith -- and more infantile. Phoenix has the IQ of a doorknob, and he… More
  Imagine Anna Nicole Smith's reality TV show released as a feature film. That's what "I'm Still Here" resembles. If it can be imagined, Joaquin Phoenix is even less interesting than Smith -- and more infantile. Phoenix has the IQ of a doorknob, and he hasn't been sober in years. The extent of his drug use is truly frightening. He's a blithering idiot from the first frame of "I'm Still Here" to the last. He doesn't say a single thing in this reality TV show that's coherent. It is impossible to understand why Casey Affleck finds Phoenix interesting. Affleck, who is Phoenix' brother-in-law, simply followed his subject around for a couple months with a video camera then assembled the footage. "I'm Still Here" is one the five or six worst films I've ever seen.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings