All of you still left troubled and confused by the embarrassing / awesome demise of Joaquin Phoenix’s forfeited acting career can be rest assured. The actor-cum-rapper’s question of sanity will soon be revealed, as Casey Affleck’s doco entitled “I’m Still Here: The Lost Year of Joaquin Phoenix” is expected to be released in September.
The film, which has been picked up by Magnolia Films, will document the transformation of Phoenix from the brooding and handsome actor to the overweight, bearded and incoherent self-made hip hop artist.
We were all left in disbelief when the Oscar nominated actor announced his retirement in 2008, which led to a series of unimpressive, awkward stunts including him falling off stage during an improvised rap performance at a Vegas nightclub.
Was he fo real or was it all just a part on an intricate role play? We all hoped it was the latter. I prayed it was.
President of Magnolia Films, Eamonn Bowles told Deadline,
“No matter what I thought coming in, I came out feeling this was a pretty amazing piece of work, jaw-dropping but dimensional. It is going to get a lot of attention, but it is not some cheap stunt where they said, ‘Let’s do some wild stuff and film it.’ It is extreme behaviour but really good filmmaking as well. Frankly, some of the behaviour is very extreme. But it is in the context of the insanity of being in Joaquin’s life for that period of time. It is a unique piece of work that is going to surprise people in different ways.”
It still begs the question of whether Affleck’s film is a Spinal Tap pisstake rather than an actual documentary. That aside, I have no doubt it’ll be an unforgettable visual experience. It’s been reported that one scene shows Phoenix snorting cocaine from the breast of a stripper. He then reappeared five months ago in a video promoting suicide prevention alongside Miley Cyrus and Liv Tyler looking lean, clean-shaven and dayum fine.
Whatever game you’re playing at Joaquin, we’re still pretty confused.
Title Image by Jason Merritt via Getty
