I'm Still Here is a film about Joaquin Phoenix - the actor. Since his Oscar nominated performance playing Johnny Cash in Walk the Line, he's made a couple of other films but decided a few years ago to call it quits, to basically retire from acting. He's opted instead to embark on a Hip-Hop career. Hey- the guys been working since he was 8 years old, so if he feels it's time to let go of a career - I'm gonna take his word for it.

The trouble is that's he's kind of morphed into a Belushi/Brando phase and he seems a bit unstable. He smokes like a chimney, snorts a lot of cocaine and has a thing for the rectums of prostitutes. He's desperate to put his past life to rest as quickly as he is to begin a new one. Unfortunately, between his behavior and circumstance no one is taking him serious. He travels from L.A. to New York to Miami and back and forth again to make things happen, surrounded by his personal assistant Antony, a guy named Larry and his brother-in-law Casey Affleck who just happens to be filming it all.

Along the way he meets with Puff Daddy, sits in for an infamous interview with David Letterman, gets pooped on while he's sleeping, rants and raves, smokes, snorts, smokes some more and then in the end travels to South America to sort it all out...

I don't know how to feel about the new film I'm Still Here. I don't know what to believe or who to trust. I liked it - but it's like religion to me. I can believe that there could be something bigger in the world to believe in, but I'm not arrogant or stupid enough to say I know exactly what the answer is.

But the question still remains - is this all for real or just a film? It doesn't matter to me because as a film it works and it's engaging and interesting. It may be a touch too long but I really did enjoy it. If this stuff isn’t real, who cares - a celebrity has spent the last couple of years messing with you - get over it. If this is real, I feel sorry for and worry about Joaquin because he is a talent and a seemingly good guy. We've already lost one Phoenix to madness - we shouldn't have to lose another.

Everyone either seems to be overly concerned with knowing all the answers or content with cashing in on a possible disaster. It's easy to belittle Phoenix or to make fun of him, but what happens if this isn't an act? If this isn't an act, why isn't Affleck putting down the camera to help him? If this is an act, why isn't Puff Daddy cashing in on it? I don't know - I don't care. It's a good film and that unfortunately is all I really know for sure.

- David Malsch

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