Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far On Foot (*****)

There are areas where I could nitpick the latest film from Gus Van Sant, but ultimately I believe this is one his his most human films - something that should be seen despite potential shortcomings. As a whole, DON'T WORRY is about as wonderful as any movie I have seen this year. Some reviewers may dislike the editing, or the costumes, or this or that... Let me just say that there was not a single moment that didn't ring true.

The movie is centered around John Callahan (Joaquin Phoenix), a cartoonist who became disabled following a horrific car crash. He's partially to blame - Callahan is a raging alcoholic. We discover his binging habits early in the film as we analyze the day leading up to his accident. From tequila to beer and vodka to gin, it's a wonder he made it out alive at all. Following his slow process of acceptance, Callahan learns to use an electric wheelchair, he falls in love, and most importantly - he joins Alcoholics Anonymous and begins the journey to recovery.

There he meets his sponsor and mentor, Donnie (Jonah Hill). He is a meek, flamboyant type who nurtures a band of recovering alcoholics as a means to make up for his own failures in life. The film journeys down many different paths as we learn about Callahan's dark sense of humor as he discovers comics, and his time as a public speaker... At the heart of this film is a relationship between Donnie and John that is a joy to watch and so throughly engaging thanks to two of the year's best performances.

Joaquin Phoenix is on a roll, following another remarkable turn in "You Were Never Really Here" (review pending). Here he is yet again unrecognizable. Despite the film jumping back and forth in time, Phoenix has a way of capturing this character in so many stages... His low point during drunken benders shows a man hiding behind long hair and glasses and using the drink as a crutch. In the hospital, he carries himself so passively, and there are a few scenes in which his dialogue is barely whispered. It's a remarkable transformation, both as an actor and as a character progresses through healing. Similarly with Jonah Hill (who I would bet has a chance of winning a Supporting Actor Oscar this year). From the simple way he carries himself in meetings (weight rested casually on one leg) to a stunning final scene that sees both characters dive deep into some emotional stuff), this is surely one of our best actors working today.

I was not familiar with John Callahan prior to seeing the film, but it tackles his cartoons with an interesting approach involving multiple cutaways to crude animations. Van Sant isn't limited by the "expected" either, as the film is littered with various film techniques as old as film itself. Most films don't look like this, nor would many directors feel confident in presenting a story in such an 'out of the box' way. What can I say? It worked. It paints a picture of this man with broad strokes, and I can't help but commend it all the more for it's attempts. Even then, this is a film that features some of the best acting you're likely to see all year. You owe it to yourself to check it out.