In case you have been too preoccupied with matters of actual importance, director Casey Affleck has admitted that, indeed, his “documentary” of actor Joaquin Phoenix’s descent into madness was a hoax.
I’m reminded of a great headline from The Onion, “Madonna Shocks Seven,” which basically summed up that the Immaterial Girl’s act had gone stale.
By admitting the hoax, Affleck has now taken away any reason for folks to see the movie in the first place. True performance art shouldn’t find it necessary to add subtitles. Penn & Teller can get away with explaining the trick, but, well, let’s just say Affleck and Phoenix aren’t in their class … not to mention Andy Kaufman’s.
Phoenix returns to the David Letterman show Wednesday, Sept. 22. Seven people will be glued to their TV sets.
