Rating: 2/5
Verdict: Thanks for sharing, but not thanks
What do two guys do when they grow up in the shadow of their older brothers? Get wasted and make home movies, it would seem.
Casey Affleck (Ben's younger brother) turned the hand-held on his brother-in-law Joaquin Phoenix (the late River's younger brother) when the pressure of being a celebrity (slash drug-addict) turned him into a fat, smelly, lout who often wore a Sars mask as a necklace. Oh, and who also considered himself to be the next thing on the rap scene.
In this, erm, documentary, Affleck captures behind-the-headlines footage of Phoenix's decision to quit acting and pursue a rapping career, his attempts to link up with Sean "P Diddy" Combs and then beat up a heckler in his audience when he finally lands a gig.
He films as his friend Phoenix takes drugs, orders prostitutes, and vomits.
He films as Phoenix walks around the house with his guts hanging over his pants smoking, mumbling and abusing his friends (who are often naked). And he films as Phoenix's long-time friend Anton turns his backside on him.
The point? Well other than serving as Affleck's directing debut, it gives Phoenix a chance to be a little more eloquent than he was on that train-wreck David Letterman appearance.
"It's so ****ing hard with everyone thinking I am Johnny Cash," Phoenix says of his decision to quit acting.
In more poignant moments he drawls (or perhaps dribbles, who knows behind that beard), "hate me or like me ... just don't misunderstand me" and poses deep questions like "is it that your dream is unattainable or is it that you had the wrong dream?"
But other than confirming he was off his face the whole time, the film gives little insight into the lost years of Joaquin Phoenix. The closing footage of him blubbering, hanging his head in front of his father, and sinking into a river back home in Panama suggests he may have been seeking some redemption - or perhaps it was just an extended metaphor of living in his brother's wake.
Then again, who knows what he was thinking. And really, who wants to know?
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix
Director: Casey Affleck
Running time: 108 mins
Rating: R16
- TimeOut
