From Overheard in New York:
Guy #1: …and then I came in and Anne was watching some gay movie with Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix–
Guy #2: Who’s River Phoenix?
Guy #1: You know, Joaquin Phoenix’s brother.
Guy #2: Joaquin Phoenix has a brother?
Guy #1: I guess…–A train
I suppose this shouldn’t come as such a surprise, especially if these two “Guys” are in their late teens/early 20s as expected. It’s somewhat shocking to realize that River Phoenix died over 12 years ago! It’s sad too because as much as I like Joaquin Phoenix, I don’t think he’s quite the actor his brother was.
I was no River fanatic or anything, but I vividly remember where I was when I learned of his death and, actually, at the moment he was dying. Well, now that I think about it, vividly is just one step above true. I was at a press junket at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. The only part that isn’t “vivid,” is that I can’t remember what damn movie the junket was for. I want to say it was for Used People, Soapdish or Toys because I remember all of them taking place at that hotel, but their release dates don’t match-up with Phoenix’s 1993 death. I remember, however, walking in to the hotel and running into my friend and former UCLA Daily Bruin colleague (by this point I was actually working professionally … or something) Michael who came up to me and said, “Did you hear? I’m so depressed.” He told me River Phoenix had overdosed outside the Viper Room the night before. He was a huge River Phoenix fan, thinking that River was probably the next great young actor — a new DeNiro or Hoffman; the type of guy many of us hoped Leonardo DiCaprio would become (arguably he has) or that Johnny Depp has become. Regardless, he was bummed to say the least.
But his mentioning this to me made me realize something else. First, I had no idea where the Viper Room was. I was just that out of it. But I thought I knew, and it just so happened that the night before, driving east on Sunset Blvd. back towards my apartment in West Hollywood, I had passed a commotion near the big Tower Records. It was on the sidewalk outside the otherwise non-descript black club that I thought was probably the Viper Room, but as I had never been there, I couldn’t be sure. I had to pull to a stop before actually passing the crowd on the sidewalk because an ambulance was turning left in front of me to pull-up to that crowd. I had no idea what was going on. I couldn’t see the sidewalk or anything.
I went home and still knew nothing. When I got home from the press junket, I turned on the news and eventually saw someone reporting from where River had fallen to the ground, convulsed and died. Apparently, not long before — if not at the exact moment — as I was driving by. I had never interviewed or met him, and I didn’t stop my car to add to the rubbernecking congestion, but something about that night always stuck with me.
Yeah, Joaquin had a brother named River. It’s too bad he doesn’t anymore.
Out of Focus 
Nothing to do with River, who still makes me a bit melancholy to think of…
But I know now that there is a God and he doesn’t like the Weavers.
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His death is sad, but the only movie he was good in was that “gay movie.”
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I think it very sad that people that are famous can’t even die in peace around them.It is also sad that you people can’t tell the difference between the two brothers. They are both separate people. Even today if River was alive they both would be rising Stars in their own right.Don’t compare. Look at the movies that Joaquin has picked over the years? The sadness is still with him.I see it in his eyes.If you look close enough, you would see a beautiful person,actor.
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