East Coast Musings 02.15.09: Phoenix Falling
Posted by James Craig on 02.15.2009
Joaquin Phoenix has demonstrated some odd behavior as of late. Most thnk it's a work. Some thinki it is much more. The Joaquin Phoenix "saga" is chronicled here, with some insight on what seems to be an elaborate hoax.
In this column, I will explore various facets of the film and television worlds and offer my views on why things are they way they are and where I feel the subject of each topic in heading in the future by weighing both the pros and the cons each is facing. Nothing is safe and no one is safe as from my focus.
I am a big fan of actors going all out to immerse themselves within a project. I think that this is when truly great performances are seen on film and we as the audience get to be the beneficiaries. Two of my very favorite acting performances are that of Jim Carrey as Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon and Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. There is a long, long list of other examples, but these two are my favorites. The idea of giving oneself over to a character in the name of creating the best on screen product is something that I respect and would encourage. All too often, there are performances in film that are simply mailed in and the performer is there for no other reason than to get a paycheck. Not only is it obvious, but it takes away from the enjoyment factor of the film. Sure, the prospect of a good pay check would be appealing but this is a performing art. Often, the prime offenders are those who star in the action/thriller films where a tonne of emotional involvement isn't something needed to move the film along as the producers are banking on action to bring in the film goers.
This may have all changed this Summer, however, with Ledger's performance, along with the rest of the performances turned in by the cast in The Dark Knight. I don't think that anyone would argue that on the outside, The Dark Knight being a comic book based film would be short on action and would be able to sell itself. Every single member of the cast even going back to Batman Begins in some cases, could have hammed it up and turned in campy performances. Ledger especially could have, as the Joker is one of those characters that can go either way and it wouldn't hurt our perception of the character since it so easy to want to ham it up to be a villain and then especially tempting to want to do so for one as cartoony. Having had the opportunity to peel back the layers of the script however, Ledger was able to see the potential to do something special in his role and immersed himself in the Joker persona. At least on set, he was the Joker. I think the end product was something that is, in my opinion, one of the great screen villains to have come along. I think that the method works and can work well. There, however, are exceptions and I think that this past week and over the past several months, that has been proven.
Joaquin Phoenix is taking getting into a role to new limits. At least I'm sure that this pseudo rappper/mogul persona he has created is a role that he has taken on. Phoenix' recent "retirement" from acting seems to be nothing more than a very well crafted story to cover for what appears to be a "mock-umentary" being shot. This is a sentiment being echoed by a lot of people but the Phoenix camp is sticking to their guns that Joaquin has indeed retired from acting and has moved into the music business. It is all just too bizzare to be true.
First we have the announcement made Oct. 27, 2008. This has been the story from his agents, friends and everyone associated with the man straight down the line. The announcement itself, while surprising, wasn't a huge shock. I had just assumed that perhaps something about doing Walk The Line had stirred something up in Phoenix that he wanted to pursue. I could accept and believe the statement with a grain of salt, since rarely does a retirement in Hollywood actually hold outside of Johnny Carson's. Let the man do his thing was my thought at the time. It is afterwards that things started to make less and less sense incrementally.
Come the end of October, we get word that Phoenix has put his Hollywood home up for sale. This happens all the time with celebs as they get bored. Not huge news, but it seemed to continue with getting out of Hollywood thing that Phoenix had been establishing. Still nothing shocking or surprising, just business as usual for a celebrity. Come November, pictures from the paparazzi started to come out showing a Joaquin Phoenix in a very disheveled and untidy state. He had grown out a wild beard and wore sunglasses at all times. His retirement from acting also seemed to signal his retirement from shaving. This is where the,"He's not serious, is he?" question started being asked. While never the most outgoing celeb with the paparazzi and media, he was downright standoffish. It was in Early December that we were given our first taste of "crazy" Joaquin making his debut as a musical artist. Joaquin had turned into a rapper.
At the beginning of December, video was released of Phoenix freestylin' and laying down some rhymes. He was terrible. He was in his fully bearded, "I wear my sunglasses at night" glory (?) here and he was bad. Very, very bad. Those voices that were faintly asking if this transition from acting to music before were now a loud chorus, each and everyone one pointing at Phoenix and loudly questioning his "retirement" as nothing more than a hoax. Heading into the 2009, Phoenix promised to at least be someone who was going to be interesting to keep tabs on.
On Jan.16th, Reuters reported that it was announced that Phoenix' brother-in-law Casey Affleck was going to be directing a documentary featuring Phoenix as he makes the transition from actor to rap star. This is perhaps the moment when the idea that this was all work really started to move over from speculation into the realm of the real. This had all the trappings of something that was going to be made into a Borat style film, where the joke would be on everyone as they tried to deal with this "new" Joaquin Phoenix. Just to drive the point home, it was a day later that TMZ posted a video of another "performance" by Phoenix at Lavo in Las Vegas. He looked terrible still and his skills on the mic certainly haven't shown any signs of improvement. In fact he looked like the end result of a cross between Kevin Federline and the Unibomber. All the while, Affleck was there filming. When asked if this was a joke, Phoenix' representatives continued to say that this was not a joke and that Phoenix was very, very serious with this endeavor.
A couple more weeks pass and Phoenix found himself in a "beef" with DJ Dan Suh. If Phoenix was intent on becoming a full fledged rap star, he seemed to be following the checklist to the letter. Crazy, controversial beginnings. Check. Declaring, loud and for all to hear that he was legit and focused only on his music. Check. Cultivating a trademark style for yourself. Check. Become engaged in a beef with someone else in the industry. Check. It couldn't be anymore cut and dry. This all happened as Phoenix was doing press for his "last" film, Two Lovers. Certainly the time to bring yourself back into the public eye and remind them that you were retired and now a musician. It's not only free publicity for your film, but just by showing up "in character" Phoenix was able to create more buzz about his outlandish appearance and behavior. Next stop on the crazy train would be some sort of weird encounter with a member of the media. Which leads us to this week.
Joaquin Phoenix made what can only be described as a very interesting appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman and was as disoriented and goofy as one could ask for if you've been following the star's path since October. Being mostly unresponsive to questions posed by Letterman, Phoenix gave every appearance that he was "out of it" and just barely keeping it together. Letterman was visibly unamused by Phoenix as he kept prodding at the actor, trying to get some sort of response rather then a muffled one or two word answers. It was like getting blood from a stone and then everyone who was not Phoenix seemed to be in various stages of frustration and incredulous awe at the behavior of this man. Phoenix, while a tad too obviously oblivious to who was in his film and what his clip was, still was mindful to be very self promoting of his music. (shameless self-promotion at the expense of other projects. Check.) There was one lapse, however, for Phoenix as Letterman closed the segment by saying, "Joaquin, I'm sorry you couldn't be here tonight.", which managed to get a smile cracked in the gruff exterior Phoenix was trying to put over, unable to fully weather the storm of questions and quips thrown at him by Letterman. Casey Affleck was present, filming for the documentary. Late on MTV Canada After Show, Paul Shaffer commented on Phoenix, saying that he was fully in his rap performer/mogul persona but he was sure that it was an act.
This has been the path that has lead us to this point with Joaquin Phoenix. As I said before, this has every indication that it is a well crafted story and that there is definitely something more than this being a star's decision to change career fields. This whole saga has followed what one would assume to be a guide to being a rap star. Each and every step, while well placed has just been too convenient. From the announcement of Phoenix' retirement, to his new image, to the bizzare behavior. This is tailor made to be a Hollywood media dream story, as we are left questioning Phoenix' sanity or if he has fallen under the influence of drugs. (Not something I think he'd be willing to even joke about given his past) or if it is just a hoax. Personally I think that this was too well thought out and way over board in the latter steps of the process. Some things have made sense but the other being so overly exaggerated, this Phoenix story is looking more and more to be satire. I think that while they were going for broke on this, Phoenix and everyone who is associated with this project, if it is indeed a project, may have alienated themselves because it is now becoming something far more annoying than interesting at this point. There is a feeling that Phoenix just needs to get on with it and drop what we all know to be a hoax. While I can applaud Phoenix' commitment to stay well inside the persona he has created, I think that he has ventured far, off point. It all seems only to obvious that this is going to be a Borat style film or that he's trying to make himself into a modern day Andy Kaufman. While on paper either option would seem appealing, I think the the process used and the way in which this has been carried out so far is just going to relate in resentment towards Phoenix, for insulting our intelligence and powers of observation and common sense as he tried to outsmart us. The joke here may very well be on him as this project could be a monumental failure.
One last thing, if this indeed does turn out to be a "mock-umentary" and this was all just a ruse, I fully applaud all involved as it is nearly impossible to keep anything a secret in Hollywood anymore these days. That is some dedication to the cause. It is the fact that the story has been so unwavering that is the only reason to, for even a second, believe that this could actually be a true story. If that is the case, as unlikely as it seems to be, we have lost a actor full of talent and potential, to what can only be described as a misguided venture into a new medium. Which ever way this turns out, I can only wish Joaquin Phoenix the best as either way, people are not going to be as accommodating as he thinks.
