I'M STILL HERE... I KNOW YOU ARE BUT WHAT AM I?

In September 2010 director Casey Affleck confirmed that this movie is not a real documentary, but fake. The public has been wondering ever since Joaquin Phoenix announced his retirement from acting in order to become a rapper in October 2008, whether it was all just an act or if it was for real.

Unfortunately, there is more to say about the controversy surrounding this film rather than the piece of work itself. Unless you were hiding under a rock, Joaquin Phoenix announced his retirement from acting to pursue a career as a rap artist and his brother-in-law Casey Affleck took the film it as a documentary. This was news. This was Britney Spears shaving her head kind of news. I think mostly judging by the way the actor started to look with his mangled beard and scraggly head of hair fueled by gossip, speculation and given almost no answer for his actions, the world simply thought that Phoenix had lost his mind. Now, knowing that the whole thing was a hoax, it is difficult to watch the film and take it as it was meant to be seen. Phoenix looks insane, acts insane and meanders around mumbling to himself. Many people thought that his performance was "genius", which I do not understand. Like any other actor, he was playing a part it's just that he was playing it 24 hours a day seven days a week. Curiosity got the best of me and so I turned on the commentary which proved to be much more enjoyable than just watching the movie alone. It was like listening to the cast of Jackass or a bunch of fraternity boys. What I did find out was how many people were in on the joke, how many stunts were planned, and how many times it took to film a certain scene. I think it was terribly selfish of Phoenix to take on this project while he was obligated to promote his latest film Two Lovers. It seems as though the joke may be on him, as it doesn't look like he has any current projects on the horizon, which is too bad because he is one of my more favorite actors.