Joaquin Phoenix’s desire to retire: we should have seen the Signs.
By Burbanked on Nov 4, 2008 in Celebrities, Movies | 1,425 views |
I tend to be more or less of a heartless bastard when it comes to the fading and extinguishing lights of Hollywood talent, but there have been times when legends pass into the night and I get an emotional tickle in my throat. We’ve seen both Sydney Pollack and Paul Newman go in the last year, and those kinds of losses just sting with the punch of an unfair universe.
Especially when we devote so much attention and hand-wringing to the media-pandering exploits of something like a Joaquin Phoenix retirement announcement(s).
I don’t have anything specific against Phoenix, who has turned in decent-enough work in To Die For and Gladiator. I’ve seen parts of Walk the Line and he looks good in it, but I tend to think of movie biopics as being too much mimicry and too little acting. I certainly hope his music career goes well and that he finds personal and financial and spiritual fulfillment. But really and seriously: is it that big of a deal?
To remind us of what we’ll soon be missing, let’s take a look at what must have seemed like fine, fine acting work at the time in this scene from M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs in which Phoenix 1) yells idiotically at a TV screen instructing Brazilian children to Move, children! Vamanos! and 2) reacts to something he sees on the TV screen with fear and desperation in a manner that no human being ever has or would in this same situation.
Really? Would you really cower into a closet, your hand at your mouth like a 30s damsel in distress, having just seen something on a TV set? Admittedly I’m taking this scene completely out of the context of the movie – which I haven’t seen – but wow that is really a terrible acting job. The entire clip doesn’t make a lick of sense, and I’d almost guess that the level of overacting and foolishness suggests that it’s actually part of a gag reel instead of a real movie scene. It’s supposed to be scary, right? Anybody want to help me out on this?
Good luck and Bye! Good, Joaquin. As my pal Doug would say, “don’t let the door hit ya’ where the good Lord split ya’.”
© Copyright
ZMC | Nov 5, 2008 | Reply
to be fair to phoenix I remember hearing that M. Night told him to give a reaction like that.
Burbanked | Nov 5, 2008 | Reply
ZMC: That may very well be true, but I think these kinds of things are usually a combination of direction and performance to some degree. However it came about, it ended up in the movie and it doesn’t speak well about either one of them.
Piper | Nov 5, 2008 | Reply
Just like Keanu did when he went to Dogstar.
I really don’t like Sham and I don’t like most his movies, but I’m weak and I like this movie and I kind of like this scene. But it’s only because I’m weak and I don’t know better. Did I say I’m weak?
But yeah, I really don’t give two shits about this. And when you put it out on the press wire like that, you’re asking people if they care or not and I think most of them don’t.
Let’s put it this way. I’m more upset about Juliette Lewis going the way of the band because damn, she actually showed a bunch of promise – if only she weren’t such a damn kook.
Burbanked | Nov 5, 2008 | Reply
I think the scene itself is fine and it’s a very good way to convey the information about seeing the alien for the first time. It has the potential for great tension, but the way Phoenix plays it seems extremely over the top to me.
Ray | Nov 5, 2008 | Reply
I have seen the movie, and it sucks. Joaquin’s character is the worst written of the bunch, loaded with Shyamalanisms (Swing away, Merrill!). Phoenix, who is always distracting anyway, is at his worst here … and this scene is a prime example.
Unfortunately, this scene is probably one of Shyamalan’s scariest concoctions, perfectly tapping into that “In Search Of” vibe of something unnatural suddenly happening in the real world. Phoenix nears sinks it.
Too too Badeenie | Nov 5, 2008 | Reply
I like Transformers better than anything in the world. Well, I like really rare steak and turkey and stuffing too.
Burbanked | Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
Too too: Nifty!
Too too Badeenie | Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
I don’t think that you take enough time to respond to me.
Piper | Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
Yeah Burbanked,
Too too deserves a much longer response to a wacko comment like that.
Anyway, I’m sure that Sham told Phoenix to act that way to make up for the lack of emotion in the rest of the film.
Burbanked | Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
Too too: Sorry for the brevity. I wasn’t certain how exactly to expand upon the inspired oddness of your comment and felt that any attempt to do so would somehow lessen your point, whatever that may or may not have been.
Uh, I like rare steak, too. Rare turkey, not so much.
Too too Badeenie | Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
Piper, why in the hell would you think I made a whacko comment? Isn’t this a movie blog? Aren’t Transformers part of a movie culture? I don’t understand your thinking.
Piper | Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
Too too,
Why in the hell did you use the word hell?
I wasn’t saying anything about Transformers which I think to be one of the best movies made today by one of the best directors ever. I’m just commenting on your comment about liking Turkey. That’s wacko.
Burbanked | Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
Piper:
NOW who’s the wacko?
Maybe Too too likes Turkey the country, not turkey the delicious poultry meat.
Either way it’s getting weird in here.
Scott | Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
Maybe he was just tired of lots of people pronouncing his name ‘Joe-qwin’ instead of the made up way ‘Wakeem’. Maybe he will go back to being Leaf.
Too too Badeenie | Nov 6, 2008 | Reply
Hey Piper,
Do you like pie? Like The Pied Piper? Or do you like turkey, gravy, and the Transformers? Maybe you should think about yourself. How many Tranformers do you own?
Too too Badeenie | Nov 8, 2008 | Reply
Where are you, Piper? Eating pie today?
Piper | Nov 10, 2008 | Reply
I was sparing Burbanked of any more wackiness.
Is that what Pied Piper means? A guy eating Pie? Here I thought it was about a guy with a musical pipe. Jeez, I’ve been wrong all these years.
I own no Transformers. But my son does.
Alan, you’ve been tagged by me, by the way.