Image Credit: Insidefoto/PR PhotosAccording to the Associated Press, first-time director Casey Affleck told reporters at the Venice Film Festival that his new documentary about brother-in-law Joaquin Phoenix’s bizarre lost year “is no hoax.” But then he went on to say things like “it makes me think of Candid Camera” and “I sincerely don’t want to influence people’s interpretation” and “Elliptically, I would say…” So is the film, which apparently includes graphic scenes of drug use, a search for online sex, and a Ben Stiller pitch meeting, a serious look at a lost person or a dark spoof on celebrity culture? Either way, the joke feels like it’s on the audience. Casey Affleck as an artist is something magnificent. His performance in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford was painful and exquisite. And Joaquin Phoenix brings an honest rawness to all of his roles. So I say, Please get back to work, gentlemen.
Am I too crabby by half or does all this hoax/no hoax talk make you yawn? Who amongst you already has their $10 in hand? Any other Assassination fans out there?
I am definitely in the yawn category. Did Wah-Keen really give up several years of his career for this?
Still say it’s a hoax. (And this reminds me of how when “Borat” came out and the makers insisted everything in it was real.)
I still think it was a hoax. Anyways, I agree Joaquin needs to get back to work, he actually has real talent.
I’m gonna say it – Joaquin’s acting skills are wooden – he’s not that good, people!
Well, I don’t think so. He was outright phenomenal in Gladiator and should’ve won the Oscar over Del Toro.
Disagree – I think he’s a phenomenal actor, but “Gladiator” was one of his weakest performances. (He should have won for “Walk the Line,” though!)
He was robbed for his work in Walk the Line, his finest performance. I still think he was great in Gladiator and he is NOT wooden.
Art is crossing that line from safe to risk. The risk doesn’t always mean the art turns out to be good. Whatever this film is, hoax,self indulgence or art, these two had a right to create it. I’m not going to go see it, because I am not interested, even though I like both artists’ other work.
I think option B is correct – this all reeks of self indulgence. Does anyone really care if it’s real or not? I don’t imagine many people do. I don’t, although reading about it does amuse me. Not spending any money to watch this movie though.
Why is this even a discussion? Hoax or reality – does Joaquin really have any relevance anymore. I think he’s downgraded to our “D – list”. Joaquin welcome to your demise.
Hoax…or Affleck is really starting to belive in the farce he and Pheonix created.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Just because someone is famous and uses drugs, does not mean their life is interesting.
I think I just heard Lindsay Lohan’s heart breaking after she just read your comment.
You have a good point.
If they eventually say it was a joke, no one will care. No matter what happens it was all just a bad idea that didn’t work. Joaquin and Casey are both great actors, so hopefully they get back to that… Affleck’s best movie is ‘Gone Baby Gone’.
Forgive me for not already knowing exactly what Joaquin has been up to since I saw him play Johnny Cash. I just hope is is happy and healthy. This article was incredibly informative, by the way.
My interest in this is gone baby gone. Not that I had any in the first place.
I love joaquin n I will see anything he does.
I didn’t think this kind of humor was funny the first time around when Andy Kaufman did it. I still have no interest in it.
This falls into the I-could-care-less category. These two no-talents are just riding on the coat tails of their much more talented brothers. I guess props should be given to them for trying to do something different. However, if they didn’t have ‘famous’ last names, nobody would care.
I think that whole fam damily is nuts.
Maybe so, but playing a stupid, interminable practical joke is definitely an improvement over dying of a drug overdose. I just hope there wasn’t as much real drug use as reported in the review of this documentary.