Joaquin Phoenix excels as paralysed cartoonist John Callaghan in Gus Van Sant’s biopic, which otherwise proves to be a patchy work by a major director
When Joaquin Phoenix starts collecting lifetime achievement awards at the end of his career, the image of him as John Callahan zooming down sidewalks in a motorized wheelchair with a Nicholson-esque smirk will surely make the highlight reel. It’s a great visual, one that director Gus Van Sant leans on it so many times that you wonder what he’s patching over.
This is indicative of the central problem with Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot. There are plenty of great moments, but they jump out amid a jumble of strangely flat scenes. This doesn’t feel like the work of a great master; it’s a discordant brew that just doesn’t blend right.
When Joaquin Phoenix starts collecting lifetime achievement awards at the end of his career, the image of him as John Callahan zooming down sidewalks in a motorized wheelchair with a Nicholson-esque smirk will surely make the highlight reel. It’s a great visual, one that director Gus Van Sant leans on it so many times that you wonder what he’s patching over.
This is indicative of the central problem with Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot. There are plenty of great moments, but they jump out amid a jumble of strangely flat scenes. This doesn’t feel like the work of a great master; it’s a discordant brew that just doesn’t blend right.
- 1/20/2018
- by Jordan Hoffman
- The Guardian - Film News
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