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Last Night at the Viper Room: River Phoenix and the Hollywood He Left Behind
In Last Night at the Viper Room , acclaimed author and journalist Gavin Edwards vividly recounts the life and tragic death of acclaimed actor River Phoenix—a teen idol on the fast track to Hollywood royalty who died of a drug overdose in front of West Hollywood’s storied club, the Viper Room, at the age of 23. Last Night at the Viper Room explores the young star’s life, including his childhood in Venezuela growing up under the aegis of the cultish Children of God. Putting him at the center of a new generation of leading men emerging in the early 1990s— including Johnny Depp, Keanu Reeves, Brad Pitt, Nicolas Cage, and Leonardo DiCaprio—Gavin Edwards traces the Academy Award nominee’s meteoric rise, couches him in an examination of the 1990s, and illuminates his lasting legacy on Hollywood and popular culture itself.
273 pages, Hardcover
First published October 22, 2013
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January 13, 2026
Between applause and agony, between the farm and the Viper Room, between peppermint and heroin, there hangs a life: the twenty-three years of River Phoenix.
WARNING: This review addresses sensitive subjects, including child abuse, cults, and drug use. Child abuse is a triggering topic, so I will warn you in advance, and you can skip that section if you prefer.
River holds a special place in my heart. By the time I discovered him, he had long been gone, but he starred in one of my all-time favorite movies, "Stand By Me," as well as another beloved film, "The Thing Called Love" (seriously, go watch it; it's criminally underrated but so good). When I like something, I tend to become obsessed and dedicate myself to uncovering everything I can about the subject, as those who read my reviews know. River's my kind of guy: a strikingly handsome, kind-hearted man with an artistic soul. He enjoyed writing music and playing the guitar, had been a vegan since childhood, and was passionate about animal and human rights. He even tried to save the rainforest and loved his family above all else. If I ever find a man like that, I will marry him on the spot and have as many babies as he wants.
A man like that deserves a long and happy life, doesn't he? Unfortunately, that wasn't River's fate. He died on Halloween in front of Johnny Depp's club, the Viper Room.
But let's start at the beginning.
River Jude Bottom was born on August 23, 1970, in Madras, Oregon. His parents changed their surname from Bottom to Phoenix in 1979. Describing his childhood as unusual would be an understatement. His parents were hippies who frequently moved, and the family often struggled financially. River and his younger siblings - Rain, Joaquin, Liberty, and Summer - would perform on street corners to earn money. Their parents did not send them to school. If you think this is bad, wait till you read the next paragraph.
WARNING: CHILD ABUSE
River's parents joined a cult called the Children of God, which had multiple chapters around the world. The Phoenix family was involved in the cult while living in Venezuela. Actress Rose McGowan (any Charmed fans reading this?) grew up in the cult and has openly discussed the horrific practices involving children within that environment. The only reason she escaped being molested was that her father discovered what was happening and decided to take the family and flee during the night. River was very protective of his parents and wanted to shield them from public judgment, so he avoided discussing their life in the cult. However, he made a shocking revelation during an interview in 1991.
Q. Is there anything you did at an early age that you wish you had waited for?
A. Yes - make love.
Q. How old were you?
A. Four.
Q. With whom? Another four-year-old?
A. Kids. But I've blocked it out. I was completely celibate from ten to fourteen.
I got up and walked around my room for a while. It's clear what happened to River in the cult, and the fact that he spoke about it so casually suggests that he either didn't process it properly or was unable to fully grasp its impact. A friend in the book mentions that River was definitely molested, but doesn't elaborate on it. Interestingly, River's brother, Joaquin, has since said that River liked to lie or twist the truth in interviews because he was tired of people constantly asking him about his childhood in the cult. I don’t believe River was lying about his experience. Not only was the cult known for molesting children, but River doesn’t seem like the type to fabricate something like that.
As for why Joaquin would claim River was lying, it's important to note that Joaquin was only three years old when the family left the cult. I think River might have regretted discussing his experiences publicly and wanted to protect his younger brother from the harsh reality, so he told Joaquin that he made it all up. While I don’t want to project my feelings, and we may never know the full truth, considering what we now know about the cult and the harm they did to children, I believe River carried significant trauma from his time there and struggled to process it.
Once, when River was eighteen, somebody asked him if he had a happy childhood.
"Happy?" he replied, as if the idea had never occured to him. "Well, it was interesting."
The Phoenix family eventually moved to Los Angeles, where the children began landing roles in commercials, TV shows, and movies. River became the main breadwinner for the family, and although he never complained, I can only imagine how challenging it must have been for him to bear that responsibility at such a young age. His talent was quickly recognized, and it seemed the sky was the limit, as they say. However, everything changed on October 31, 1993.
The Viper Room was one of the coolest hangouts for young Hollywood celebrities. It was owned by Johnny Depp, who often performed on stage there with famous musicians. On that fateful night, River arrived at the club accompanied by his girlfriend, Samantha Mathis, who co-starred with him in "The Thing Called Love," as well as his siblings, Rain and Joaquin. Other notable guests included Flea and John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Christina Applegate.
River had struggled with a drug problem for quite some time, which those closest to him were aware of but felt powerless to change. In the months leading up to his death, he often looked pale and sickly. That night at the club, a 'guitarist friend' approached River at his table, handed him a drink, and told him it would make him feel fabulous. River drank the concoction and immediately became ill. Angered, he asked the friend what was in the cup. Shortly after, he began to vomit and slumped over in his chair. It was later discovered that the drink contained a dissolved speedball, which is a mixture of cocaine and heroin.
If someone had called an ambulance at that moment, he might have been saved. Instead, likely wanting to protect his image, they decided to take him back to the hotel. As his siblings and girlfriend helped him outside the club, he collapsed on the sidewalk and started convulsing. Rain and Joaquin were desperately trying to prevent him from injuring himself on the pavement as his body convulsed violently. Meanwhile, the bystanders merely stood by, observing, and not a single person called for an ambulance. Finally, in a panic, Joaquin called 911, but by then it was too late. The doctors at the hospital attempted to save him, but their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.
The author of the book does not reveal the identity of the 'guitarist friend' who gave River the drink, but many believe it was John Frusciante. The most famous version of the event is that River went to the bathroom to do drugs, which is untrue. This false narrative continues to be spread by YouTubers who can't be bothered to do proper research and lack basic morals by replaying the 911 call that Joaquin made while he watched his brother die.
The more I reflect on the events of that night, the more confused I become. River, despite his struggles with drugs, appeared to be sober upon his arrival at the club. The autopsy report confirmed that there was no alcohol or any type of speed in his system; he neither snorted nor injected any drugs, a rumor that continues to circulate even today. He succumbed to the 'speedball' in that cup given to him by his famous guitarist friend. So why do some people claim that River was doing drugs in the bathroom when the autopsy clearly indicated he wasn't using anything? Was the guitarist who provided the drugs really John Frusciante? The author refrained from making that claim, likely due to the lack of evidence and the risk of a slander lawsuit. I've always admired Frusciante and believe he wouldn't have intentionally harmed River, but he was in a very dark place at that time, engaging in heavy drug use and making poor decisions. If it was indeed John, the Phoenix family doesn't seem to hold him accountable; otherwise, they would have sued.
I am not accusing anyone of wrongdoing. There are numerous conflicting accounts regarding that night, as well as River's life overall, and I want to emphasize that I do not know what truly transpired, nor am I attempting to vilify Frusciante or anyone else involved in River's life.
River received high praise from his fellow Hollywood heartthrobs both during his life and after his passing. Brad Pitt described him as the best there ever was, and Leonardo DiCaprio considered him his hero. Ethan Hawke also held him in high esteem.
River's younger brother, Joaquin, became a famous Oscar-winning actor, while his best friend, Keanu Reeves, who co-starred with him in My Own Private Idaho, became a Hollywood legend. River was set to star in the movie "Interview With The Vampire." Following his death, the role was given to Christian Slater. River's sister, Summer, was married to actor Casey Affleck, who is the younger brother of Ben Affleck, and they have children together. Joaquin is married to actress Rooney Mara, and a few years ago, they welcomed a son whom they named River.
The most honest and poignant statement about River came from his ex-girlfriend, actress Martha Plimpton. She expressed her anger at how people were behaving at River's funeral, noting that they were trying to turn him into a martyr to ease their own feelings of guilt or sadness. 'He's become a metaphor for a fallen angel, a messiah. He was just a boy, a very good-hearted boy who was very fucked up and had no idea how to implement his good intentions. I don't want to be comforted by his death. I think it's right that I'm angry about it, angry at the people who helped him stay sick, and angry at River.'
WARNING: This review addresses sensitive subjects, including child abuse, cults, and drug use. Child abuse is a triggering topic, so I will warn you in advance, and you can skip that section if you prefer.
River holds a special place in my heart. By the time I discovered him, he had long been gone, but he starred in one of my all-time favorite movies, "Stand By Me," as well as another beloved film, "The Thing Called Love" (seriously, go watch it; it's criminally underrated but so good). When I like something, I tend to become obsessed and dedicate myself to uncovering everything I can about the subject, as those who read my reviews know. River's my kind of guy: a strikingly handsome, kind-hearted man with an artistic soul. He enjoyed writing music and playing the guitar, had been a vegan since childhood, and was passionate about animal and human rights. He even tried to save the rainforest and loved his family above all else. If I ever find a man like that, I will marry him on the spot and have as many babies as he wants.
A man like that deserves a long and happy life, doesn't he? Unfortunately, that wasn't River's fate. He died on Halloween in front of Johnny Depp's club, the Viper Room.
But let's start at the beginning.
River Jude Bottom was born on August 23, 1970, in Madras, Oregon. His parents changed their surname from Bottom to Phoenix in 1979. Describing his childhood as unusual would be an understatement. His parents were hippies who frequently moved, and the family often struggled financially. River and his younger siblings - Rain, Joaquin, Liberty, and Summer - would perform on street corners to earn money. Their parents did not send them to school. If you think this is bad, wait till you read the next paragraph.
WARNING: CHILD ABUSE
River's parents joined a cult called the Children of God, which had multiple chapters around the world. The Phoenix family was involved in the cult while living in Venezuela. Actress Rose McGowan (any Charmed fans reading this?) grew up in the cult and has openly discussed the horrific practices involving children within that environment. The only reason she escaped being molested was that her father discovered what was happening and decided to take the family and flee during the night. River was very protective of his parents and wanted to shield them from public judgment, so he avoided discussing their life in the cult. However, he made a shocking revelation during an interview in 1991.
Q. Is there anything you did at an early age that you wish you had waited for?
A. Yes - make love.
Q. How old were you?
A. Four.
Q. With whom? Another four-year-old?
A. Kids. But I've blocked it out. I was completely celibate from ten to fourteen.
I got up and walked around my room for a while. It's clear what happened to River in the cult, and the fact that he spoke about it so casually suggests that he either didn't process it properly or was unable to fully grasp its impact. A friend in the book mentions that River was definitely molested, but doesn't elaborate on it. Interestingly, River's brother, Joaquin, has since said that River liked to lie or twist the truth in interviews because he was tired of people constantly asking him about his childhood in the cult. I don’t believe River was lying about his experience. Not only was the cult known for molesting children, but River doesn’t seem like the type to fabricate something like that.
As for why Joaquin would claim River was lying, it's important to note that Joaquin was only three years old when the family left the cult. I think River might have regretted discussing his experiences publicly and wanted to protect his younger brother from the harsh reality, so he told Joaquin that he made it all up. While I don’t want to project my feelings, and we may never know the full truth, considering what we now know about the cult and the harm they did to children, I believe River carried significant trauma from his time there and struggled to process it.
Once, when River was eighteen, somebody asked him if he had a happy childhood.
"Happy?" he replied, as if the idea had never occured to him. "Well, it was interesting."
The Phoenix family eventually moved to Los Angeles, where the children began landing roles in commercials, TV shows, and movies. River became the main breadwinner for the family, and although he never complained, I can only imagine how challenging it must have been for him to bear that responsibility at such a young age. His talent was quickly recognized, and it seemed the sky was the limit, as they say. However, everything changed on October 31, 1993.
The Viper Room was one of the coolest hangouts for young Hollywood celebrities. It was owned by Johnny Depp, who often performed on stage there with famous musicians. On that fateful night, River arrived at the club accompanied by his girlfriend, Samantha Mathis, who co-starred with him in "The Thing Called Love," as well as his siblings, Rain and Joaquin. Other notable guests included Flea and John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Christina Applegate.
River had struggled with a drug problem for quite some time, which those closest to him were aware of but felt powerless to change. In the months leading up to his death, he often looked pale and sickly. That night at the club, a 'guitarist friend' approached River at his table, handed him a drink, and told him it would make him feel fabulous. River drank the concoction and immediately became ill. Angered, he asked the friend what was in the cup. Shortly after, he began to vomit and slumped over in his chair. It was later discovered that the drink contained a dissolved speedball, which is a mixture of cocaine and heroin.
If someone had called an ambulance at that moment, he might have been saved. Instead, likely wanting to protect his image, they decided to take him back to the hotel. As his siblings and girlfriend helped him outside the club, he collapsed on the sidewalk and started convulsing. Rain and Joaquin were desperately trying to prevent him from injuring himself on the pavement as his body convulsed violently. Meanwhile, the bystanders merely stood by, observing, and not a single person called for an ambulance. Finally, in a panic, Joaquin called 911, but by then it was too late. The doctors at the hospital attempted to save him, but their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.
The author of the book does not reveal the identity of the 'guitarist friend' who gave River the drink, but many believe it was John Frusciante. The most famous version of the event is that River went to the bathroom to do drugs, which is untrue. This false narrative continues to be spread by YouTubers who can't be bothered to do proper research and lack basic morals by replaying the 911 call that Joaquin made while he watched his brother die.
The more I reflect on the events of that night, the more confused I become. River, despite his struggles with drugs, appeared to be sober upon his arrival at the club. The autopsy report confirmed that there was no alcohol or any type of speed in his system; he neither snorted nor injected any drugs, a rumor that continues to circulate even today. He succumbed to the 'speedball' in that cup given to him by his famous guitarist friend. So why do some people claim that River was doing drugs in the bathroom when the autopsy clearly indicated he wasn't using anything? Was the guitarist who provided the drugs really John Frusciante? The author refrained from making that claim, likely due to the lack of evidence and the risk of a slander lawsuit. I've always admired Frusciante and believe he wouldn't have intentionally harmed River, but he was in a very dark place at that time, engaging in heavy drug use and making poor decisions. If it was indeed John, the Phoenix family doesn't seem to hold him accountable; otherwise, they would have sued.
I am not accusing anyone of wrongdoing. There are numerous conflicting accounts regarding that night, as well as River's life overall, and I want to emphasize that I do not know what truly transpired, nor am I attempting to vilify Frusciante or anyone else involved in River's life.
River received high praise from his fellow Hollywood heartthrobs both during his life and after his passing. Brad Pitt described him as the best there ever was, and Leonardo DiCaprio considered him his hero. Ethan Hawke also held him in high esteem.
River's younger brother, Joaquin, became a famous Oscar-winning actor, while his best friend, Keanu Reeves, who co-starred with him in My Own Private Idaho, became a Hollywood legend. River was set to star in the movie "Interview With The Vampire." Following his death, the role was given to Christian Slater. River's sister, Summer, was married to actor Casey Affleck, who is the younger brother of Ben Affleck, and they have children together. Joaquin is married to actress Rooney Mara, and a few years ago, they welcomed a son whom they named River.
The most honest and poignant statement about River came from his ex-girlfriend, actress Martha Plimpton. She expressed her anger at how people were behaving at River's funeral, noting that they were trying to turn him into a martyr to ease their own feelings of guilt or sadness. 'He's become a metaphor for a fallen angel, a messiah. He was just a boy, a very good-hearted boy who was very fucked up and had no idea how to implement his good intentions. I don't want to be comforted by his death. I think it's right that I'm angry about it, angry at the people who helped him stay sick, and angry at River.'
October 15, 2013
It wasn't all in my head!
A long, time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away (also known as high school), a friend introduced me to a movie titled Dogfight, about a group of young military men who have a contest to see who can bring the ugliest date. No, this was not like Dinner for Schmucks. My friend and I watched that movie several times at her house, and then I never saw it again. Over the years, I've mentioned it to a few people, who hadn't heard of it. I tried checking Netflix and Amazon and other services which stream movies for me and it was nowhere to be found. My husband thinks I'm crazy when I talk about this movie which "doesn't exist."
I was MOTHER EFFING right that this was an actual movie (one which only made less than 400k and wasn't widely released), and I just found out that River Phoenix was in it! Thank you to this book I read for restoring my sanity!
Anyway, random story aside, let's go back to River himself. One of my male friends hates it when males are called beautiful, but every single time I see River, the word pops into my head (along with other, less fortunate words). Let me show you what I mean...
This is a tale of more than just young Hollywood. You might be interested in the details of how actors such as Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, the two Coreys (and I laughed at how badly they were portrayed for being aholes), etc. came to be, which are in here, intertwined with River's story.
I was here for River though. The recounting of his heartbreaking childhood and following awkward teen years tugged at my heart. This young man who was so uncomfortable in his own skin, he had a story that the world would have wanted to hear. It is sad to see all the potential in the world shut down in the blink of an eye.
He was a soft-hearted vegan who wanted to change the world. Instead, he is remembered as the person who overdosed on a street outside of a club on the Sunset Strip and died. The details of how he got to that point were subtly blurred in favor of showcasing the person he was instead. I liked that. In fact, I wanted more of the secret River.
Rarely, do biographies manage to come across as anything but cold and observing. Because there were dashes of dark sarcasm and snippets of River's musings, I felt like I was dropped into his life and wanted to stay just a little while longer than I was allowed to.
River was one of my first childhood crushes and he's been one of the few which I've wondered about from time to time. What we he look like today if he were alive? Would he be successful, or would he have walked away from the business which he wasn't sure he even wanted to be a part of? Would he have continued on the path where he followed his love of music? It's sad that we'll never know what was to be.
All in all, it was a beautiful recount of the life of a beautiful young man.
This book provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All quotes taken from the pre-published copy and may be altered or omitted from the final version.
You can also find my review on Booklikes
While they were sleeping, River had died on the Sunset Strip. The world had changed overnight.
A long, time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away (also known as high school), a friend introduced me to a movie titled Dogfight, about a group of young military men who have a contest to see who can bring the ugliest date. No, this was not like Dinner for Schmucks. My friend and I watched that movie several times at her house, and then I never saw it again. Over the years, I've mentioned it to a few people, who hadn't heard of it. I tried checking Netflix and Amazon and other services which stream movies for me and it was nowhere to be found. My husband thinks I'm crazy when I talk about this movie which "doesn't exist."
I was MOTHER EFFING right that this was an actual movie (one which only made less than 400k and wasn't widely released), and I just found out that River Phoenix was in it! Thank you to this book I read for restoring my sanity!
Anyway, random story aside, let's go back to River himself. One of my male friends hates it when males are called beautiful, but every single time I see River, the word pops into my head (along with other, less fortunate words). Let me show you what I mean...
Once, when River was eighteen, somebody asked him if he had had a happy childhood. "Happy?" he replied, as if the idea had never occurred to him. "Well, it was interesting."
"River was the most beautiful child you've ever seen."
He had no social skills.
When you're fifteen, to have to think of yourself as a prophet is unfair.
River smiled sweetly at his tormentors and told them, "If you want to kick my ass, go ahead. Just explain to me why you're doing it."
After a confused pause, one of the skinheads said, "Ah, you wouldn't be worth it."
"We're all worth it, man," River said with a beatific smile. "We're all worth millions of planets and stars and galaxies and universes."
This is a tale of more than just young Hollywood. You might be interested in the details of how actors such as Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, the two Coreys (and I laughed at how badly they were portrayed for being aholes), etc. came to be, which are in here, intertwined with River's story.
I was here for River though. The recounting of his heartbreaking childhood and following awkward teen years tugged at my heart. This young man who was so uncomfortable in his own skin, he had a story that the world would have wanted to hear. It is sad to see all the potential in the world shut down in the blink of an eye.
He was a soft-hearted vegan who wanted to change the world. Instead, he is remembered as the person who overdosed on a street outside of a club on the Sunset Strip and died. The details of how he got to that point were subtly blurred in favor of showcasing the person he was instead. I liked that. In fact, I wanted more of the secret River.
Rarely, do biographies manage to come across as anything but cold and observing. Because there were dashes of dark sarcasm and snippets of River's musings, I felt like I was dropped into his life and wanted to stay just a little while longer than I was allowed to.
River was one of my first childhood crushes and he's been one of the few which I've wondered about from time to time. What we he look like today if he were alive? Would he be successful, or would he have walked away from the business which he wasn't sure he even wanted to be a part of? Would he have continued on the path where he followed his love of music? It's sad that we'll never know what was to be.
All in all, it was a beautiful recount of the life of a beautiful young man.
This book provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All quotes taken from the pre-published copy and may be altered or omitted from the final version.
You can also find my review on Booklikes
November 1, 2017
I enjoyed listening to this biography of River Phoenix. I was in the mood for something different, and LAST NIGHT AT THE VIPER ROOM fit the bill perfectly. This book was released just a few days shy of the 20th anniversary of his death. A night out at a club. Drugs. A bad decision. A promising young actor dead at age 23.
This was more than just a recap of what happened on October 31, 1993. It spans River’s life from his unconventional childhood in South America (his hippie parents were members of a cult) to his rise to stardom and beyond. Learning about what went on during River’s childhood was surprising. I can see how his experiences shaped the troubled young man he became. The book also talks a lot about “Young Hollywood” at the time, which included Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Keanu Reeves, and Winona Ryder. Hearing about what the other actors were doing helped put River’s career in perspective.
The audiobook was performed by Luke Daniels, and overall I was pleased with his narration. He had a strong, interesting voice and good pacing. When quoting people he would change his voice, and most of his impressions were spot on (at least for the people I’m familiar with).
LAST NIGHT AT THE VIPER ROOM is a well-written story of a life cut short. It didn’t glamorize drug abuse at all – it told it like it was. Sad. The author also poses “what if” questions and the possible answers which were very interesting to think about. This book might appeal to film buffs and and fans of Gen X biographies.
This was more than just a recap of what happened on October 31, 1993. It spans River’s life from his unconventional childhood in South America (his hippie parents were members of a cult) to his rise to stardom and beyond. Learning about what went on during River’s childhood was surprising. I can see how his experiences shaped the troubled young man he became. The book also talks a lot about “Young Hollywood” at the time, which included Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Keanu Reeves, and Winona Ryder. Hearing about what the other actors were doing helped put River’s career in perspective.
The audiobook was performed by Luke Daniels, and overall I was pleased with his narration. He had a strong, interesting voice and good pacing. When quoting people he would change his voice, and most of his impressions were spot on (at least for the people I’m familiar with).
LAST NIGHT AT THE VIPER ROOM is a well-written story of a life cut short. It didn’t glamorize drug abuse at all – it told it like it was. Sad. The author also poses “what if” questions and the possible answers which were very interesting to think about. This book might appeal to film buffs and and fans of Gen X biographies.
October 27, 2013
Last Night in the Viper Room: River Phoenix and the Hollywood He Left Behind by Gavin Edwards is a Harper Collins Publication and was released in October 2013. I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
IF THE SKY THAT WE LOOK UPON SHOULD TUMBLE AND FALL
"Chris Chambers was the leader of our gang, and my best friend. He came from a bad family, and everybody knew he'd turn out bad- including Chris."
That was Richard Dreyfuss, narrating as the adult Gordie Lachance, described the character in Stand by Me that made River Phoenix a star.
Last Night at the Viper Room is the story of River Phoenix. His unconventional upbringing, his real passion for music, and then fame and fortune, and death at the age of 23.
River was actually his given name. His parents were in a hippie religious cult and their kids were totally cut off from society as most people knew it. River was eight years old and still had never attended school. He never did really attend a regular school. He didn't watch television or have the experiences most of us have growing up. He adhered to his parent's strict vegan diet and was an animal rights activist.
Music was always River's first love and passion. Acting came along and he didn't take it all that seriously at first. He was his family's bread winner and acting was just a means to an end.
River always had a band going and had even carried his guitar with him to the Viper Room the night he died.
As his acting skills developed and he became more famous, it went without saying that River was heading for big things in his acting career. He really did have a natural ability as an actor. At the time of his death he was just on the cusp of really breaking loose.
But, the more money he made and the more people in the entertainment business he rubbed elbows with, the more access to drugs became available. River had maintained his clean living lifestyle up to a point. Once he started using drugs he had no control over his indulgence.
The Viper Room was a famous club on Sunset. It had weathered many changes over the years. The actor, Johnny Depp had a part ownership in the club and basically used it as a VIP club for all his famous friends. The place had a reputation for always having a full house. On any given night you could find Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, or Timothy Leary, or members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, models, actresses, and other entertainment personalities.
On the night in question, River was out with his brother and sister. He was given a drink by a guitarist friend and he swallowed in one gulp. He overdosed on a what is known as a speedball, the same deadly combination of cocaine and heroin that killed comedian John Belushi.
The story is a old one. Young, rich, and independent. The moneymaker for the family, and too many people looking the other way. I don't know if his upbringing or the people he knew through fame and acting were to blame for his downfall into drugs. The shocking allegations regarding the cult his parents were members of would be enough to cause severe damage in anyone. His isolation from society and constant relocation would also make it hard for someone to fit in. Having no real parental supervision, River stayed with other families, looked for a father figure on every job, and longed to be a part of something. Once people surrounding him began to suspect he had a real substance abuse problem, no one wanted to approach him about it, not even his own mother, who appeared more interested in being his manager than his parent.
The night he died, people kept saying someone should call 911. But, they were all assured River was alright, while he was have seizures every twenty seconds and banging his head against the pavement.
This young, beautiful man was just so incredibly talented and had so much promise. Despite his lack of formal education, he was so smart and caught onto things that others couldn't comprehend. Deep down in his soul, he was a good person or wanted to be. His thoughtfulness shone through even when he was out of his mind on drugs.
Anytime I finish reading a book like this, I'm left feeling not only sad, but angry and frustrated. This was a person that people should have been watching. Someone that should never have fallen through the cracks. But, no one had the courage to step up to the plate. Yes, it is said that there were some attempts at interventions, but no one really took those hard steps that you have to with a drug addict, and on the night he died, people basically stood around and watched him die, more worried about saving his reputation as an actor than saving his life.
The layout the author used to tell the story was really unique. I liked that fact that we went chronologically through River's life. It's just easier to see how things evolved that way. But, it was also interesting that the author set the stage for each chapter in River's life by reminding us of what was happening in that time in Hollywood with other young actors. Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, Keanu Reeves, and Iona Skye. Also, the music scene was explained since River was often playing music and had a group he played with, and he was friends with Michael Stipe and Flea from The Red Hot Chili Peppers.
River's association with Johnny Depp was minor and the two didn't know each other all that well. The media played up Depp's association with the club when River died on the scene.
The author did fine job of telling this story. Again, it is always important when you take it upon yourself to write this kind of book, to not only do the research and interviews etc. But, also to keep yourself from leaning toward a certain view point. The author kept his own personal viewpoint out of the book and told the story of this young man's tragic life as it should be told.
A very compelling read, and one I recommend to all who like performance arts books, non- fiction, biographies, or are a fan of this era of entertainment or if you would just like to remember River Phoenix.
Overall this one is an A.
IF THE SKY THAT WE LOOK UPON SHOULD TUMBLE AND FALL
"Chris Chambers was the leader of our gang, and my best friend. He came from a bad family, and everybody knew he'd turn out bad- including Chris."
That was Richard Dreyfuss, narrating as the adult Gordie Lachance, described the character in Stand by Me that made River Phoenix a star.
Last Night at the Viper Room is the story of River Phoenix. His unconventional upbringing, his real passion for music, and then fame and fortune, and death at the age of 23.
River was actually his given name. His parents were in a hippie religious cult and their kids were totally cut off from society as most people knew it. River was eight years old and still had never attended school. He never did really attend a regular school. He didn't watch television or have the experiences most of us have growing up. He adhered to his parent's strict vegan diet and was an animal rights activist.
Music was always River's first love and passion. Acting came along and he didn't take it all that seriously at first. He was his family's bread winner and acting was just a means to an end.
River always had a band going and had even carried his guitar with him to the Viper Room the night he died.
As his acting skills developed and he became more famous, it went without saying that River was heading for big things in his acting career. He really did have a natural ability as an actor. At the time of his death he was just on the cusp of really breaking loose.
But, the more money he made and the more people in the entertainment business he rubbed elbows with, the more access to drugs became available. River had maintained his clean living lifestyle up to a point. Once he started using drugs he had no control over his indulgence.
The Viper Room was a famous club on Sunset. It had weathered many changes over the years. The actor, Johnny Depp had a part ownership in the club and basically used it as a VIP club for all his famous friends. The place had a reputation for always having a full house. On any given night you could find Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, or Timothy Leary, or members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, models, actresses, and other entertainment personalities.
On the night in question, River was out with his brother and sister. He was given a drink by a guitarist friend and he swallowed in one gulp. He overdosed on a what is known as a speedball, the same deadly combination of cocaine and heroin that killed comedian John Belushi.
The story is a old one. Young, rich, and independent. The moneymaker for the family, and too many people looking the other way. I don't know if his upbringing or the people he knew through fame and acting were to blame for his downfall into drugs. The shocking allegations regarding the cult his parents were members of would be enough to cause severe damage in anyone. His isolation from society and constant relocation would also make it hard for someone to fit in. Having no real parental supervision, River stayed with other families, looked for a father figure on every job, and longed to be a part of something. Once people surrounding him began to suspect he had a real substance abuse problem, no one wanted to approach him about it, not even his own mother, who appeared more interested in being his manager than his parent.
The night he died, people kept saying someone should call 911. But, they were all assured River was alright, while he was have seizures every twenty seconds and banging his head against the pavement.
This young, beautiful man was just so incredibly talented and had so much promise. Despite his lack of formal education, he was so smart and caught onto things that others couldn't comprehend. Deep down in his soul, he was a good person or wanted to be. His thoughtfulness shone through even when he was out of his mind on drugs.
Anytime I finish reading a book like this, I'm left feeling not only sad, but angry and frustrated. This was a person that people should have been watching. Someone that should never have fallen through the cracks. But, no one had the courage to step up to the plate. Yes, it is said that there were some attempts at interventions, but no one really took those hard steps that you have to with a drug addict, and on the night he died, people basically stood around and watched him die, more worried about saving his reputation as an actor than saving his life.
The layout the author used to tell the story was really unique. I liked that fact that we went chronologically through River's life. It's just easier to see how things evolved that way. But, it was also interesting that the author set the stage for each chapter in River's life by reminding us of what was happening in that time in Hollywood with other young actors. Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, Keanu Reeves, and Iona Skye. Also, the music scene was explained since River was often playing music and had a group he played with, and he was friends with Michael Stipe and Flea from The Red Hot Chili Peppers.
River's association with Johnny Depp was minor and the two didn't know each other all that well. The media played up Depp's association with the club when River died on the scene.
The author did fine job of telling this story. Again, it is always important when you take it upon yourself to write this kind of book, to not only do the research and interviews etc. But, also to keep yourself from leaning toward a certain view point. The author kept his own personal viewpoint out of the book and told the story of this young man's tragic life as it should be told.
A very compelling read, and one I recommend to all who like performance arts books, non- fiction, biographies, or are a fan of this era of entertainment or if you would just like to remember River Phoenix.
Overall this one is an A.
February 6, 2014
Have you ever got a book knowing fully that not only will you probably dislike it but it'll probably infuriate and upset you a bit, but you had to get it anyway because you're curious and weirdly interested in the subject matter? And then when that book made you madder than even you thought it would, you just want to scream but you know that you did it all to yourself?
Yeah, this was me with this book.
Some background.
When I was about 10, my mum made me watch Stand By Me. It's one of her favourite films and it became one of mine. To this day, it's in my top 20 favourite films of all time. It's a perfect film. Like most people who saw it, I became rather interested in River Phoenix, although as I got older the focus changed more to his brother, who remains probably my favourite actor (and teen crush - shut up). They're an interesting family & of course, one with very tragic elements. So of course River Phoenix's very short life was ripe for a biography.
This one, however, is kind of reprehensible.
First, from a stylistic point of view, the author has some issues. His attempt to create a cultural context surrounding Phoenix's brief time in the spotlight falls flat since he seems to have no idea how to organically integrate it into the narrative. A pretty linear biography is interspersed with tidbits on the Viper Room (the club where he died) and general information on other rising stars in the film industry at the time. Basically an actor is named, their projects at the time and then another is mentioned. This is repeated over and over again and feels lazy. If you want to read a non-fiction book where context is organically and substantially given for a time period, read Nixonland.
Second, and the biggest issue with the book, is the general tone of it all. It's one thing to offer a comment on a stranger's life; it's quite another to delve into unqualified pseudo psychiatric analysis that makes Dr Drew look dignified. E! News would offer less callous material. The author is pretty openly judgemental about the Phoenix family's life (which is pretty odd to say the least but if you're going to judge then at least develop the context further. The author's offerings feel rushed and lacking in anything really substantial that hasn't been written before. Wikipedia feels like the main source here aside from anonymous sources.)
I understand the urge to seek answers from a tragedy. It's a natural human instinct. We see it every day in our lives and in the media. Right now it's going on with the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman (an actor I basically worshipped and cried over a lot when I heard the news). Honestly, I get that.
I get why non-addicts try to understand the minds of addicts and I even sympathise somewhat when they struggle to understand because it's a tough situation. Addiction is an illness, one that requires us to not judge and to not sneer. We can't laugh or roll our eyes and claim they should have just never taken drugs or should have just stopped. It doesn't work like that. We can't turn it into a blame game.
We certainly don't spend 200+ pages insinuating that someone's family are to blame for their death.
The author clearly doesn't like Phoenix's family, but to lay the blame at their feet (mostly at those of his parents and brother) is low. National Enquirer low. Then, to rub salt in the wound, the author theorises that Joaquin Phoenix's career success and "weirdness" is the result of his brother dying and his guilt over that. I honestly couldn't believe what I read. It's coded but it's there. If you've ever heard the 911 call Joaquin Phoenix made on the night of his brother's death, you'd know it's one of the most upsetting things ever, and the media released that in the aftermath of River's death.
The total lack of basic decency on display here makes me wonder what the author was thinking when he began to write this insensitive & exploitative mess (actually I know exactly what he was thinking. "Hey, I could churn out something in time for the 20th anniversary of his death! I'm a genius!")
Maybe I'm just especially sensitive right now because of Philip Seymour Hoffman or because I'm a big fan of the people at the centre of it, but this was a waste of my time and I only really have myself to blame. Don't waste your time with this. Go watch Stand By Me and My Own Private Idaho instead.
Yeah, this was me with this book.
Some background.
When I was about 10, my mum made me watch Stand By Me. It's one of her favourite films and it became one of mine. To this day, it's in my top 20 favourite films of all time. It's a perfect film. Like most people who saw it, I became rather interested in River Phoenix, although as I got older the focus changed more to his brother, who remains probably my favourite actor (and teen crush - shut up). They're an interesting family & of course, one with very tragic elements. So of course River Phoenix's very short life was ripe for a biography.
This one, however, is kind of reprehensible.
First, from a stylistic point of view, the author has some issues. His attempt to create a cultural context surrounding Phoenix's brief time in the spotlight falls flat since he seems to have no idea how to organically integrate it into the narrative. A pretty linear biography is interspersed with tidbits on the Viper Room (the club where he died) and general information on other rising stars in the film industry at the time. Basically an actor is named, their projects at the time and then another is mentioned. This is repeated over and over again and feels lazy. If you want to read a non-fiction book where context is organically and substantially given for a time period, read Nixonland.
Second, and the biggest issue with the book, is the general tone of it all. It's one thing to offer a comment on a stranger's life; it's quite another to delve into unqualified pseudo psychiatric analysis that makes Dr Drew look dignified. E! News would offer less callous material. The author is pretty openly judgemental about the Phoenix family's life (which is pretty odd to say the least but if you're going to judge then at least develop the context further. The author's offerings feel rushed and lacking in anything really substantial that hasn't been written before. Wikipedia feels like the main source here aside from anonymous sources.)
I understand the urge to seek answers from a tragedy. It's a natural human instinct. We see it every day in our lives and in the media. Right now it's going on with the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman (an actor I basically worshipped and cried over a lot when I heard the news). Honestly, I get that.
I get why non-addicts try to understand the minds of addicts and I even sympathise somewhat when they struggle to understand because it's a tough situation. Addiction is an illness, one that requires us to not judge and to not sneer. We can't laugh or roll our eyes and claim they should have just never taken drugs or should have just stopped. It doesn't work like that. We can't turn it into a blame game.
We certainly don't spend 200+ pages insinuating that someone's family are to blame for their death.
The author clearly doesn't like Phoenix's family, but to lay the blame at their feet (mostly at those of his parents and brother) is low. National Enquirer low. Then, to rub salt in the wound, the author theorises that Joaquin Phoenix's career success and "weirdness" is the result of his brother dying and his guilt over that. I honestly couldn't believe what I read. It's coded but it's there. If you've ever heard the 911 call Joaquin Phoenix made on the night of his brother's death, you'd know it's one of the most upsetting things ever, and the media released that in the aftermath of River's death.
The total lack of basic decency on display here makes me wonder what the author was thinking when he began to write this insensitive & exploitative mess (actually I know exactly what he was thinking. "Hey, I could churn out something in time for the 20th anniversary of his death! I'm a genius!")
Maybe I'm just especially sensitive right now because of Philip Seymour Hoffman or because I'm a big fan of the people at the centre of it, but this was a waste of my time and I only really have myself to blame. Don't waste your time with this. Go watch Stand By Me and My Own Private Idaho instead.
December 12, 2013
This book just leaves me sad...and a bit angry. I don't think anyone can deny that River Phoenix was incredibly talented. He seemed to be a gentle soul but troubled.
This is definitely a cautionary tale about the risks of making your child the breadwinner for the family. I came away angry with his parents. I get that they were hippies, I get that they were very earth conscious and new age-y but for crying out loud...get a job, support your children, don't let your laziness, your beliefs leave them unprepared for the world that they will eventually have to inhabit.
I found it so incredibly sad to read that because of the choices his parents made River was unprepared to even understand humour in joke form.
I liked that the book gave snippets of what other actors of his generation were doing at any given time in Phoenix's life. It gave context to and a contrast with what he was experiencing.
February 6, 2023
'I don't think anybody's necessarily ready for death' Depp reflected 'you can only hope that when it approaches, you feel like you've said all wanted you wanted to say. Nobody wants to go out mid-sentence'
Sadly, we know many people do.
Going into this I didn't know an awful lot about River. He is in Stand By Me, a film I love, and his ending was tragic. That was all I knew therefore this book was fascinating for me and I learnt a lot.
I didn't realise the significance of the Viper Room or that Johnny Depp owned it. I didn't know about the friendship between Keanu Reeves and River. I didn't know River was born River Bottom, born into the Children of God cult and never went to school.
Like many who die young River fitted a ton into his short life and I enjoyed reading about it while hoping for the impossible, a different ending.
I liked how the book would focus in on River for a few chapters then focus out onto Keanu Reeves, Johnny Deep. Christian Slater and Leonardo DiCaprio to put into context what was also happening in Hollywood at the same time.
An extraordinary life, an extraordinary family, full of light and corners darker than we will ever know. A complicated and contradictory mind. A human, fully flawed and full of love.
Four stars.
At the time of posting this book is available on Kindle Unlimited.
Sadly, we know many people do.
Going into this I didn't know an awful lot about River. He is in Stand By Me, a film I love, and his ending was tragic. That was all I knew therefore this book was fascinating for me and I learnt a lot.
I didn't realise the significance of the Viper Room or that Johnny Depp owned it. I didn't know about the friendship between Keanu Reeves and River. I didn't know River was born River Bottom, born into the Children of God cult and never went to school.
Like many who die young River fitted a ton into his short life and I enjoyed reading about it while hoping for the impossible, a different ending.
I liked how the book would focus in on River for a few chapters then focus out onto Keanu Reeves, Johnny Deep. Christian Slater and Leonardo DiCaprio to put into context what was also happening in Hollywood at the same time.
An extraordinary life, an extraordinary family, full of light and corners darker than we will ever know. A complicated and contradictory mind. A human, fully flawed and full of love.
Four stars.
At the time of posting this book is available on Kindle Unlimited.
January 5, 2015
This book made me angry. There were so many people who could have lent a talented but struggling young man a hand, but chose not to do so. There were parents who could have decided to be parents, instead of selfishly using their eldest child for profit. There were friends and co-workers who didn't step up when they saw a young star floundering. While the addict also deserves blame, in this case a tragedy really seemed preventable. The result was the death of River Phoenix, one of the most interesting and promising actors of his generation.
Last Night at the Viper Room compiles widely known anecdotes and events in River's life with interviews, a few lesser-known details and some conjecture. It focuses mainly on River and his family, but also provides Hollywood context. There is commentary on the career and personal choices of other male actors who were coming of age at the same time. There is some discussion of Hollywood politics, on-set happenings and the cultural shift taking place in entertainment in the early 1990s. There's nothing here that's really new or groundbreaking, but compiled in one story it creates a fairly good sense of the world in which River was living. Taken all together, it's a compelling tale.
I arrived in Hollywood two years after River Phoenix died and spent time with several of the people mentioned in this book. This is a world I know fairly well. I realize that it's too easy to blame Hollywood, too easy to blame friends and family, and that addiction, sexual abuse and fame are complex issues. It's just tragic that this young man, whose life had so much to offer all of us, is now just a cautionary tale. His death could have been avoided. He could have been so much more.
Last Night at the Viper Room compiles widely known anecdotes and events in River's life with interviews, a few lesser-known details and some conjecture. It focuses mainly on River and his family, but also provides Hollywood context. There is commentary on the career and personal choices of other male actors who were coming of age at the same time. There is some discussion of Hollywood politics, on-set happenings and the cultural shift taking place in entertainment in the early 1990s. There's nothing here that's really new or groundbreaking, but compiled in one story it creates a fairly good sense of the world in which River was living. Taken all together, it's a compelling tale.
I arrived in Hollywood two years after River Phoenix died and spent time with several of the people mentioned in this book. This is a world I know fairly well. I realize that it's too easy to blame Hollywood, too easy to blame friends and family, and that addiction, sexual abuse and fame are complex issues. It's just tragic that this young man, whose life had so much to offer all of us, is now just a cautionary tale. His death could have been avoided. He could have been so much more.
April 12, 2017
You would think after all these years I could read this and not get sad. Wrong. How can you not be sad over a life gone way too soon? What did I learned mostly from this book, was, That River had a kind and gentle soul and even with his drug use that did not go away. You can't help but wonder where he would be right now if he was still alive. You can't help but to want that.
November 3, 2013
I graduated high school in 1993. The people, the clothes, the music, the vibe of that time is the first one I truly understood and lived. I found this book very interesting and I particularly liked how the author framed each part of River's life within the context of other actors/musicians etc. It set the scene pretty perfectly, I think. I remember the tragic death of River Phoenix and was enlightened to learn much more about his family and upbringing. I know that many didn't believe him to be a drug addict at the time due to his much publicized vegan lifestyle. I think this is why his death proved so shocking in 1993 to much of the world. Had he grown up now with the social media presence unavoidable, I think we might have just found his death tragic, but not surprising.
September 10, 2013
(nb: I received an Advance Review Copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss)
I remember watching the news on October 31, 1993. I didn’t usually watch the evening news—I was always either working or at happy hour—but this was a Sunday, so I was probably doing laundry and nursing a hangover.
I remember watching the news on October 31, 1993 only because the anchor reported that both River Phoenix and Federico Fellini had died. It seemed oddly fitting that two such bookending film personae died the same day.
Fellini was 73, and he’d enjoyed a long, celebrated career, winning five Oscars and creating a style so unique, it spawned its own adjective: Felliniesque.
River Phoenix, though. My God, I thought, he was only 23. He had obvious talent, although most of his films didn’t show it, and he could have been one of the greats, if only…
Gavin Edwards’s “Last Night at The Viper Room” fills in the “if only” in one of the best biographies I’ve read this year.
In his day, River Phoenix was portrayed as “The Vegan James Dean,” and there was something Dean-like about him. Back in the late 1980’s and early 90’s, his story was fairly well-known. His parents were hippies who moved to South America as part of some weird cult, and they named their kids things like River, Liberty, Rain, etc. Also, River was a big environmental activist, plus a vegan and animal rights supporter. He spoke out against drug use, and seemed like a nice—if quirky—kid.
The drinking was first. Then came the drugs: weed, at first, then cocaine, then heroin. Between his breakout in 1986’s “Stand By Me” and his OD just seven years later, River Phoenix spiraled hard into substance abuse. His appearance changed. The once strong, handsome young star showed up for auditions with his skin looking almost gray. His clothes were dirty and worn. Some of his last performances were almost unintelligible. His reputation in Hollywood was tarnished; he had trouble finding good films. Finally, he collapsed and died outside The Viper Room.
“Last Night at The Viper Room” charts River’s short life, from his birth to nomadic hippie parents all the way to the bitter end.
That’s what biographies do, but the wonder of “Last Night at The Viper Room” is that it does more than provide a truckload of facts. Author Gavin Edwards shows remarkable verve and style, taking this book far beyond the dry tedium of many biographies. Edwards wrote extensively for “Details” and “Rolling Stone” magazines, and his style here shows much of the hip, rock & roll journalism pacing one finds in a good, extended magazine piece.
I was drawn-in to “Last Night at The Viper Room,” and before I knew it, I’d read it in one sitting. It is an addictive book.
Edwards draws on dozens of sources and personal interviews for this work, and his documentation is fastidious. He portrays Phoenix’s life not only in a recitation of facts, but in anecdotal quotes from those who best knew the actor, those who worked with him, dated him, befriended him, loved him. In all of their stories, they express dismay at what they saw this talented young actor doing to himself.
Make no mistake, this is a very sad book. River Phoenix had a short, tragic life. His family relied upon him to be the breadwinner. His Hollywood stardom was their golden ticket. River wasn’t always comfortable as an actor—he mainly just wanted to play his guitar and sing—but the money was too good. In some roles, he found a way to express himself through his art. Other times, he was just going through the motions.
When he died, some people thought River Phoenix would be like James Dean, a handsome young star who died tragically young, but whose fame would live on forever through his work. That didn’t happen with River Phoenix. James Dean is still a legend; River Phoenix is an afterthought who died two decades ago.
His life is immortalized, though, in “Last Night at The Viper Room.” From birth to death, it’s all right here. Even just for the few hours it took me to read this book, Gavin Edwards brought him back, and once again made me wonder what River Phoenix could have been, if only…
Most Highly Recommended
I remember watching the news on October 31, 1993. I didn’t usually watch the evening news—I was always either working or at happy hour—but this was a Sunday, so I was probably doing laundry and nursing a hangover.
I remember watching the news on October 31, 1993 only because the anchor reported that both River Phoenix and Federico Fellini had died. It seemed oddly fitting that two such bookending film personae died the same day.
Fellini was 73, and he’d enjoyed a long, celebrated career, winning five Oscars and creating a style so unique, it spawned its own adjective: Felliniesque.
River Phoenix, though. My God, I thought, he was only 23. He had obvious talent, although most of his films didn’t show it, and he could have been one of the greats, if only…
Gavin Edwards’s “Last Night at The Viper Room” fills in the “if only” in one of the best biographies I’ve read this year.
In his day, River Phoenix was portrayed as “The Vegan James Dean,” and there was something Dean-like about him. Back in the late 1980’s and early 90’s, his story was fairly well-known. His parents were hippies who moved to South America as part of some weird cult, and they named their kids things like River, Liberty, Rain, etc. Also, River was a big environmental activist, plus a vegan and animal rights supporter. He spoke out against drug use, and seemed like a nice—if quirky—kid.
The drinking was first. Then came the drugs: weed, at first, then cocaine, then heroin. Between his breakout in 1986’s “Stand By Me” and his OD just seven years later, River Phoenix spiraled hard into substance abuse. His appearance changed. The once strong, handsome young star showed up for auditions with his skin looking almost gray. His clothes were dirty and worn. Some of his last performances were almost unintelligible. His reputation in Hollywood was tarnished; he had trouble finding good films. Finally, he collapsed and died outside The Viper Room.
“Last Night at The Viper Room” charts River’s short life, from his birth to nomadic hippie parents all the way to the bitter end.
That’s what biographies do, but the wonder of “Last Night at The Viper Room” is that it does more than provide a truckload of facts. Author Gavin Edwards shows remarkable verve and style, taking this book far beyond the dry tedium of many biographies. Edwards wrote extensively for “Details” and “Rolling Stone” magazines, and his style here shows much of the hip, rock & roll journalism pacing one finds in a good, extended magazine piece.
I was drawn-in to “Last Night at The Viper Room,” and before I knew it, I’d read it in one sitting. It is an addictive book.
Edwards draws on dozens of sources and personal interviews for this work, and his documentation is fastidious. He portrays Phoenix’s life not only in a recitation of facts, but in anecdotal quotes from those who best knew the actor, those who worked with him, dated him, befriended him, loved him. In all of their stories, they express dismay at what they saw this talented young actor doing to himself.
Make no mistake, this is a very sad book. River Phoenix had a short, tragic life. His family relied upon him to be the breadwinner. His Hollywood stardom was their golden ticket. River wasn’t always comfortable as an actor—he mainly just wanted to play his guitar and sing—but the money was too good. In some roles, he found a way to express himself through his art. Other times, he was just going through the motions.
When he died, some people thought River Phoenix would be like James Dean, a handsome young star who died tragically young, but whose fame would live on forever through his work. That didn’t happen with River Phoenix. James Dean is still a legend; River Phoenix is an afterthought who died two decades ago.
His life is immortalized, though, in “Last Night at The Viper Room.” From birth to death, it’s all right here. Even just for the few hours it took me to read this book, Gavin Edwards brought him back, and once again made me wonder what River Phoenix could have been, if only…
Most Highly Recommended
October 23, 2018
“It ends outside a nightclub called the Viper Room, on a Hollywood sidewalk. (...) It begins twenty-three years earlier, on a peppermint farm. (...) Between applause and agony, (...) between peppermint and heroin, there hangs a life: the twenty-three years of River Phoenix.”
It's been a while since a book captivated, angered and saddened me this much. What a beautiful, radiant soul he was 💔
It's been a while since a book captivated, angered and saddened me this much. What a beautiful, radiant soul he was 💔
October 11, 2013
I was madly in love with River. He was dreamy, talented & passionate. A little bit of me died with him, I think. So young, so tragic with his little brother at his side, so sad. After reading about his upbring & the pressure put on him to provide for the family, it is no wonder that gorgeous and promising young man turned to drugs.
January 21, 2014
After reading this beautiful book, I sobbed like a baby. I couldn't control how overwhelmed I was by my emotions when it was all over.
And for days after I'd go through my normal routine with this aching empty feeling and every day I would realize that it was because of this book. I felt this awful feeling because I felt like I had lost my best friend after finishing this book. I felt that I had gotten to know River Phoenix so well through this book that his death, twenty years later, had touched me on such a personal level I felt it breaking my heart over and over.
This book is a work of art. It not only delves into River Phoenix's life, but into the lives of others who were starting out at the same time (Leonardo DiCaprio and Keanu Reeves, for example) and the world they were all growing up in. I highly recommend that everyone read it.
And for days after I'd go through my normal routine with this aching empty feeling and every day I would realize that it was because of this book. I felt this awful feeling because I felt like I had lost my best friend after finishing this book. I felt that I had gotten to know River Phoenix so well through this book that his death, twenty years later, had touched me on such a personal level I felt it breaking my heart over and over.
This book is a work of art. It not only delves into River Phoenix's life, but into the lives of others who were starting out at the same time (Leonardo DiCaprio and Keanu Reeves, for example) and the world they were all growing up in. I highly recommend that everyone read it.
November 27, 2025
Sad of course, but also as entertaining as a train wreck. Not sure about the roots of River's problems, but was disturbed by someone's observation that most actors are on drugs. It's sad to think how little support these young actors received: they get big pay cheques, but no counseling on how to handle difficult roles and maintain healthy boundaries. Perhaps the train wreck is all just part of the big entertainment package of Hollywood.
A fast read, and Edwards's pop culture observations sometimes come across sweeping or glib. Same sex attraction or kissing are still taboo in an actor's career, apparently, and I had to check when this book was published — Years after daytime soap operas all had their first gay kisses, so it seems that this writer's fingers are not on that particular pulse.
A fast read, and Edwards's pop culture observations sometimes come across sweeping or glib. Same sex attraction or kissing are still taboo in an actor's career, apparently, and I had to check when this book was published — Years after daytime soap operas all had their first gay kisses, so it seems that this writer's fingers are not on that particular pulse.
May 17, 2016
Interesting, sometimes amusing, well written (or well-enough written), and well researched (even if a lot of the research comes from other people's books). Like a lot of people, I was shocked when River Phoenix died of an overdose--he seemed like the last person in Hollywood who would succumb to this fate. The book, on the other hand, makes this fate seem almost inevitable, which is actually one of its strengths. Of course, at the end, this doesn't stop you from desperately wishing you could reach into the book and change just one detail that might have made a difference. An absorbing portrait of a person who was more complicated than most of us knew.
March 1, 2014
Overall not impressed.....not that I mean Phoenix's interesting yet sad life, but Gavin Edward's take on River Phoenix himself. The bio was very disjointed and tended to skip from Phoenix to other actors at really odd times, not to mention that as a reader it felt distant. Nothing here was actually personal, I think it was just some mushed up facts about an actor who's info is already out there in random places.
Obviously the man cannot write his own bio.......but perhaps had the story come from say a sibling or someone super close to him it would have made for a more authentic read.
Obviously the man cannot write his own bio.......but perhaps had the story come from say a sibling or someone super close to him it would have made for a more authentic read.
December 13, 2021
River Phoenix is forever a striking 23-year-old with unrealized potential after the teen idol died of a tragic overdose outside a West Hollywood club.
I was just a kid when River Phoenix died but I was aware of the collective shock from his death. He was a star on the rise --- a child actor about to truly break out as leading man --- and with his abrupt end came all the sadness of wondering what could’ve been, cementing his brief legacy.
Last Night at the Viper Room is an interesting in-depth look at River’s life: the unconventional childhood, his family’s time in the Children of God cult, the film roles he began to select for himself, his drug habits and its effect in his personal and professional life.
I learned a lot about the actor and enjoyed the overall examination of 90s American culture and River’s impact on it.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
I was just a kid when River Phoenix died but I was aware of the collective shock from his death. He was a star on the rise --- a child actor about to truly break out as leading man --- and with his abrupt end came all the sadness of wondering what could’ve been, cementing his brief legacy.
Last Night at the Viper Room is an interesting in-depth look at River’s life: the unconventional childhood, his family’s time in the Children of God cult, the film roles he began to select for himself, his drug habits and its effect in his personal and professional life.
I learned a lot about the actor and enjoyed the overall examination of 90s American culture and River’s impact on it.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
December 28, 2021
I was a huge fan after watching Stand By Me. He became one of the most intriguing figures in Hollywood. River was a clever boy but undereducated. Living with his hippie parents, he had to beg for money at a very young age. His affiliation with Children of God cult might contributed to his latter depressions. Too many eerie detailed moments before his death, like when Johnny Depp's band P playing a song mentioning River Phoenix, he was just outside the club having seizures.
A recommended read if you want to learn about Hollywood pop culture in the 80s-90s.
A recommended read if you want to learn about Hollywood pop culture in the 80s-90s.
October 23, 2018
I was 11 days shy of 7 years old when River Phoenix died, but it wasn't until I was 12 going on 13 that I fell in love with him. His was the voice that told me through a movie screen "you could be a real writer someday," words that I took to heart then and still do today. He'd been gone for nearly 6 years then. Now it's been almost 6 years since I surpassed the age he died at. Today, he would be 45 years old. Would he have cut a career path that Leonardo DiCaprio would be jealous of, like he was supposed to? Would he be a living tragedy instead of a dead one, sacrificing talent and potential for addictions he still can't shake? Or would he have saved the world by now?
We'll never know. But, after reading this book, at least we know a little more about the 23 years he got to have. This is such a sad, infuriating book. That poor boy was failed again and again, from the time he was born until the night he died. No one had the spine to protect him, not once, and I don't even know what to do with the rage that that gives me. From letting him be molested for 7 years, to saddling him with the responsibility of being the sole breadwinner from age 5 on, all the way to the fact that no one called 911 on the night he overdosed at 23 because they didn't want to attract bad press, his loved ones let him down over and over, and I am livid. River Phoenix, with all his infinite potential, grace, and kindness, never had a chance. I am no longer shocked that he died.
Gavin Edwards' writing was lovely. I don't have much experience with biographies, so I don't know if they're typically written with this much heartache and respect, but I was happy with the way he handled this story. He didn't sensationalize anything, nor did he turn River into a martyr or the people in his life into villains. He just gave us the facts and let us make up our own opinions, and snuck in a couple of heartbreaking lines every now and then to punch you in the stomach. I couldn't believe how well researched this was -- he even had quotes from the man who owned the farm that River was born on in 1970. I loved how he gathered testimonials and memories from so, so many incredibly different people, so that we got such an incredible array of perspectives. These memories, from everyone from Johnny Depp to Ethan Hawke to Martha Plimpton to agents and cameramen and a girl who worked in a coffee shop, painted a complex, contradictory, and beautiful portrait of the boy they once knew. We learned about a boy who was admired and put on a pedestal, who was selfless and idealistic and naive, who was bratty and manic and impulsive, both loyal and disloyal, the model of clean living and an absolute mess, fiercely independent and wildly needy, who did it all to protect the family he loved so much and ultimately abandoned. This book made him more human, more of a 23 year old boy who sometimes did the wrong thing and could be kind of embarrassing and had so much growing up to do, instead of just this beautiful golden tragedy. He was that, too, certainly, but more than anything, what this book really wants you to know, is that there was so much more to River Phoenix than the beautiful thing he was and the broken thing he became. He was a sweet boy who was becoming a good man.
Martha Plimpton said it best, just days after she lost him: "He's become a metaphor for a fallen angel, a messiah. He was just a boy, a very good-hearted boy who was very fucked up and had no idea how to implement his good intentions. I don't want to be comforted by his death. I think it's right that I'm angry about it, angry at the people who helped him stay sick, and angry at River."
But his sister Rain said it perfectly too: "We are infinitely collaborating in spirit."
We'll never know. But, after reading this book, at least we know a little more about the 23 years he got to have. This is such a sad, infuriating book. That poor boy was failed again and again, from the time he was born until the night he died. No one had the spine to protect him, not once, and I don't even know what to do with the rage that that gives me. From letting him be molested for 7 years, to saddling him with the responsibility of being the sole breadwinner from age 5 on, all the way to the fact that no one called 911 on the night he overdosed at 23 because they didn't want to attract bad press, his loved ones let him down over and over, and I am livid. River Phoenix, with all his infinite potential, grace, and kindness, never had a chance. I am no longer shocked that he died.
Gavin Edwards' writing was lovely. I don't have much experience with biographies, so I don't know if they're typically written with this much heartache and respect, but I was happy with the way he handled this story. He didn't sensationalize anything, nor did he turn River into a martyr or the people in his life into villains. He just gave us the facts and let us make up our own opinions, and snuck in a couple of heartbreaking lines every now and then to punch you in the stomach. I couldn't believe how well researched this was -- he even had quotes from the man who owned the farm that River was born on in 1970. I loved how he gathered testimonials and memories from so, so many incredibly different people, so that we got such an incredible array of perspectives. These memories, from everyone from Johnny Depp to Ethan Hawke to Martha Plimpton to agents and cameramen and a girl who worked in a coffee shop, painted a complex, contradictory, and beautiful portrait of the boy they once knew. We learned about a boy who was admired and put on a pedestal, who was selfless and idealistic and naive, who was bratty and manic and impulsive, both loyal and disloyal, the model of clean living and an absolute mess, fiercely independent and wildly needy, who did it all to protect the family he loved so much and ultimately abandoned. This book made him more human, more of a 23 year old boy who sometimes did the wrong thing and could be kind of embarrassing and had so much growing up to do, instead of just this beautiful golden tragedy. He was that, too, certainly, but more than anything, what this book really wants you to know, is that there was so much more to River Phoenix than the beautiful thing he was and the broken thing he became. He was a sweet boy who was becoming a good man.
Martha Plimpton said it best, just days after she lost him: "He's become a metaphor for a fallen angel, a messiah. He was just a boy, a very good-hearted boy who was very fucked up and had no idea how to implement his good intentions. I don't want to be comforted by his death. I think it's right that I'm angry about it, angry at the people who helped him stay sick, and angry at River."
But his sister Rain said it perfectly too: "We are infinitely collaborating in spirit."
September 24, 2015
My newest "purse book".
"Last Night at the Viper Room" is a fairly salacious title for what is really a full biography of River Phoenix interspersed with interludes on the other things going on in the Hollywood scene at the time which offer a good perspective on where River fits into his time period (one of the authors big, and fair, questions...would River have been as big as Leonardo DiCaprio?). The author makes the point that River only made four really good movies (Dogfight, Running on Empty, My Own Private Idaho, Stand by Me) and of those three only one is considered a real "classic" (and he was a child in that one), so, really, is River primarily famous because of his odd upbringing and his death?
The book was interesting, but was a LOT of River for someone who was only a casual fan. However, for a huge fan of either that particular era of movie making or of River himself it's a must-read.
"Last Night at the Viper Room" is a fairly salacious title for what is really a full biography of River Phoenix interspersed with interludes on the other things going on in the Hollywood scene at the time which offer a good perspective on where River fits into his time period (one of the authors big, and fair, questions...would River have been as big as Leonardo DiCaprio?). The author makes the point that River only made four really good movies (Dogfight, Running on Empty, My Own Private Idaho, Stand by Me) and of those three only one is considered a real "classic" (and he was a child in that one), so, really, is River primarily famous because of his odd upbringing and his death?
The book was interesting, but was a LOT of River for someone who was only a casual fan. However, for a huge fan of either that particular era of movie making or of River himself it's a must-read.
March 22, 2020
As a fan of River Phoenix this was a bit disappointing.
I liked the parallel of River's life set against the background of young Hollywood at the time, somehow it gives you an idea of where his career might have gone.
But the author pulls the focus off River too much and concentrates on other actors/musicians/a bunch of unnecessary stuffs (at some point I wasn't sure if I was reading Phoenix's or Johnny Depp's biography) and, ultimately, it just felt like a mediocre mash up facts that one can easily found out on a Wikipedia page.
I liked the parallel of River's life set against the background of young Hollywood at the time, somehow it gives you an idea of where his career might have gone.
But the author pulls the focus off River too much and concentrates on other actors/musicians/a bunch of unnecessary stuffs (at some point I wasn't sure if I was reading Phoenix's or Johnny Depp's biography) and, ultimately, it just felt like a mediocre mash up facts that one can easily found out on a Wikipedia page.
June 17, 2021
"I don't think anybody's necessarily ready for death. You can only hope that when it approaches, you feel like you've said what you wanted to say. Nobody wants to go out in mid-sentence." - Johnny Depp
In the 1990s, along with Dex and Lacey in Girls on Fire by Robin Wasserman, River Phoenix had my besotted heart somewhere between Sneakers and My Own Private Idaho. So when I came across Last Night at the Viper Room I had to read it. And the reading hurt. Not so much remembering my teenage infatuation, but remembering those I've lost and the drugs that did it. Remembering the first time I watched Drugstore Cowboy and what we went on to do.
So here's a funny story about teenage me. That last page in the photo section looks a lot like what spent many years on my bedroom wall. I might still have it in a drawer somewhere. I know the exact spot the Who Weekly announcing Kurt Cobain's death is secreted. I want to add, these memories haven't been perused since the 1990s, but I'm pretty sure I'll never throw them out.
The hilarious story of how River's brooding headshot ended up in my possession is an example of just how uncool my teenage years were. My little brother & I visited our Sydney cousin in January 1992. They were both 2 years younger than me. In hindsight, I guess she looked up to me, slightly, but back then I knew she had everything on me. Not least because I never read magazines. Wtf young Clare - the things you missed!? So cousin Lucy educated me as to the lastest pop stars, movie gods, assorted hotties, (omg) E-Street. And told me I had to pick a hottie to be my fav. No idea why I chose River Pheonix, maybe it was fate.
Lucy and I wrote letters to each other (what are they?) I probably still have them too in some drawer. One such letter included an enclosure of an entensive article on River, with extensive headshots. One was an A3 folded monstrosity that landed above my bed. Oh River, sweet dreams River. (Cross my heart, I never kissed him goodnight, not much anyway)
And what, you may ask, was River Phoenix doing in January 1992? Now that Gavin Edwards has enlightened me, I can tell you: spiralling further into addiction.
"What would those twelve-year-old girls with a picture of me over their bed think if they knew?"
Oh, I don't know, doing their own spiralling a few years later.
When My Own Private Idaho came out, I was watching The Movie Show with my parents and David & Margaret argued about it, then I announced I had to see it. Parentals forbade me, "Really Clare, you wouldn't enjoy it." I told them I was 15, so I was allowed to see it in the cinema. We'd just seen Dave & Marg explain how it got that rating - due to stills of Keanu and River having sex, rather than filmed sex, complete with said stills. I definitely wanted to see more of those stills...
While I went to the movies with my Dad to see Sneakers (her phone number, please) I never did get to see My Own Private Idaho on the big screen, with Dad or otherwise. Luckily (sans Dad) I got to see Keanu ask "Fuck me" on the big screen (yes please). And don't worry, as an adult I own the DVD of My Own Private Idaho. I'm old school like that. Might have to break out the popcorn and my fav River Pheonix movie. Mum, Dad, you want to join?
"In my version... in my version, I pick him up" - Gus Van Sant
This is from my blog https://ofceilingwax.wordpress.com/20...
November 26, 2020
I was drawn to River the first time I saw Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade when I was 6. He Capitivated me for those 11 minutes at the start of that film. As I grew up and dived head first into his short catalog, It was hard not to imagine what his career would of looked like in the 21st century when you see how great a career Leonardo DiCaprio has had in the years since his tragic passing. This book, page by page becomes sadder as we get nearer to the inevitable conclusion. This kid was full of demons from his weird beginnings so it's not too shocking to see why he might of wanted to escape.. I wish we could of seen what he could of become. As sad as this book is I kept reading hoping that he'd figure it all out. I rated this 5 stars because his life albeit short was as wild and exciting as those 11 minutes that capitivated a young six year old in 1993. Sadly, not knowing that he passed that same year.
September 2, 2023
Once upon a time (like a few years ago) I had this short-lived, albeit intense obsession with Keanu Reeves, which resulted in me attempting to go through his entire filmography. I failed, though… like I usually do.
But not necessarily because I lost my interest in Keanu’s (rocky) career, but rather because I discovered one of his co-stars (who most definitely overshadowed him) to fall in love with: none other than River Phoenix.
At that time I was not yet as enthusiastic about film as I am today and had little knowledge of Independent and Queer Cinema (I hadn’t even watched Brokeback Mountain back then *gasp*), thus my first time watching My Own Private Idaho was pretty… wild.
Nevertheless, the movie somehow spoke to me and I liked it right away, especially because of the relationship between River's and Keanu's characters… and their indisputable chemistry. Obviously, I’m forever crying over the Campfire Scene and the fact that Mike’s love for Scott was unrequited (somehow I always end up shipping the non-endgame stuff… I just like suffering, huh).
Knowing now, that River himself (re)wrote that scene to make it more personal, intimate and authentic breaks my heart into a million pieces. Excuse me but I’ll need a minute.
Since then, I’ve watched almost all of his movies (though I disliked most of them but always appreciated his astonishingly raw acting) and My Own Private Idaho is probably still his most profound and most convincing performance.
But I truly think he’s one of those once-in-a-generation talents that sadly never got a chance to shine as brightly as they would have deserved.
Long story short. This novel was an interesting dive into the life and times of River Phoenix, an extraordinary and incredibly talented boy who literally had to take care of his whole family (financially and emotionally) and who never got to be a child.
He grew up in a sexually and psychologically abusive cult, was kept isolated from people his own age, wasn’t even taught how to read… Furthermore, he had to take responsibility for all the religious, activist and hippie BS his parents pulled and became the family’s main breadwinner by the age of ten.
I also feel extremely sorry for Leaf/Joaquin Phoenix and his sisters cause it seems like River was the only remotely sane person in that household who took proper care of the children and I can’t imagine what it must feel like to lose that brother/father-figure at the age of nineteen.
River Phoenix was ahead of his time. Being vegan, an animal activist and an environmentalist, caring only about the part he played rather than the money the movie made, who was ruthlessly used as a poster boy and a mouthpiece by his parents to convince the public of their religious ideas…
More than anything else, this book made me utterly sad and angry. Because somehow every single actor, producer, director, family member and friend claimed to have known about River's recurring issues as well as his drug addiction. So why did nobody f*ing help him then when it apparently was SO OBVIOUS???
He’s already being made into a martyr. He’s become a metaphor for a fallen angel, a messiah. He was just a boy, a very good-hearted boy who was very fucked up and had no idea how to implement his good intentions. I don’t want to be comforted by his death. I think it’s right that I’m angry about it, angry at the people who helped him stay sick, and angry at River.
Overall, I did enjoy the way the author put together bits and pieces of interviews and articles. However, I was just as annoyed at how many times he tried to show off his pop culture knowledge, talking about stupid movie facts that literally had no relevance whatsoever, dropping names randomly and without context.
Honestly, I don’t care what Brad Pitt or Leonardo DiCaprio were up to in the late 80s or what hair colour Winona Ryder had on September 1st 1989 (see what I did there). If I want to know more about this dude called Johnny Depp, I’m going to read a biography about him, not River Phoenix… ugh.
November 10, 2020
❐ Overall Rating 4½ | Narration 5
❐ Biography of the rise and fall of River Phoenix
❐ Drugs & Hollywood
❐ The Viper Room
❐ Tidbits to the other key actors in River Phoenix's orbit
Did you know when River was born his family name was Bottom? His name was River Bottom.
I found myself fully engaged in this...Luke Daniels did a phenomenal job with the narration. He can do a wide range of voices really well. Chronically his life from just before he was born up until his death at the age of 23 outside the infamous Viper Room. Filled with both humor and sadness plus little bits of information about the many actors and musicians that he worked with or might have worked with if he wasn't taken too soon.
One of my favorite movies of his, A Thing Called Love, is the one that did the worse at the box office. Sadly, I think the character he played in that movie was a little too close to what was happening in his real life and it was also his last completed movie.
❐ Libby Listen through my Library
❐ Length ➯ 8H 26M
❐ Plot ➯ 4.3/5
❐ History ➯ 4/5
❐ The Feels ➯ 4.5/5
❐ Realness ➯ 4/5
❐ Ending ➯ 4.5/5
❐ Biography of the rise and fall of River Phoenix
❐ Drugs & Hollywood
❐ The Viper Room
❐ Tidbits to the other key actors in River Phoenix's orbit
Did you know when River was born his family name was Bottom? His name was River Bottom.
I found myself fully engaged in this...Luke Daniels did a phenomenal job with the narration. He can do a wide range of voices really well. Chronically his life from just before he was born up until his death at the age of 23 outside the infamous Viper Room. Filled with both humor and sadness plus little bits of information about the many actors and musicians that he worked with or might have worked with if he wasn't taken too soon.
One of my favorite movies of his, A Thing Called Love, is the one that did the worse at the box office. Sadly, I think the character he played in that movie was a little too close to what was happening in his real life and it was also his last completed movie.
❐ Libby Listen through my Library
❐ Length ➯ 8H 26M
❐ Plot ➯ 4.3/5
❐ History ➯ 4/5
❐ The Feels ➯ 4.5/5
❐ Realness ➯ 4/5
❐ Ending ➯ 4.5/5
July 6, 2015
River Phoenix. What potential cut short by drugs. Reading this took me back to high school and college and the grim reminder that my friends and I had watched Sneakers the night he died and we woke up the next morning to find out he had died.
This book reads quick, almost like a really long magazine article and works to place Phoenix in line with other, still-living, celebrities who still pace about Hollywood. I enjoyed reading more about Phoenix and some of the ugly truths that were hidden from Tiger Beat and teen magazines. I think the most appropriate phrase to describe Phoenix in this book was that he was over-intelligent and under-educated. He had passion for the earth and was roped into acting by his family. He was an extremely troubled person but it made him a performer. I liked this book for the nostalgia throwback to the early 1990s. But, as I have said over and over, no matter how many times you read The Great Gatsby, Gatsby still dies at the end. Same goes for River Phoenix.
Drugs are bad and they did him in and that's all you can really say. And the only person not named in this book? The guy who handed River Phoenix his deadly last speedball cocktail at the Viper Room.
I recommend this easy read of a sad topic to anyone who wonders what River Phoenix means or meant in the great scheme of this world.
This book reads quick, almost like a really long magazine article and works to place Phoenix in line with other, still-living, celebrities who still pace about Hollywood. I enjoyed reading more about Phoenix and some of the ugly truths that were hidden from Tiger Beat and teen magazines. I think the most appropriate phrase to describe Phoenix in this book was that he was over-intelligent and under-educated. He had passion for the earth and was roped into acting by his family. He was an extremely troubled person but it made him a performer. I liked this book for the nostalgia throwback to the early 1990s. But, as I have said over and over, no matter how many times you read The Great Gatsby, Gatsby still dies at the end. Same goes for River Phoenix.
Drugs are bad and they did him in and that's all you can really say. And the only person not named in this book? The guy who handed River Phoenix his deadly last speedball cocktail at the Viper Room.
I recommend this easy read of a sad topic to anyone who wonders what River Phoenix means or meant in the great scheme of this world.
June 29, 2016
Very enjoyable biography of River Phoenix, with lots of 80s/90s pop-culture references thrown in. Paints a picture of a very talented actor, but one continuously haunted by his unconventional upbringing and in no way prepared to handle Hollyweird and its druggy excess.
April 28, 2017
Did anyone else notice that the author said Rosie O'Donnell was in Hocus Pocus? She wasn't, that was Kathy Najimy.
August 24, 2020
A minha nota é especialmente pelo jeito que a história é contada, não por ela em si obviamente.
River sempre foi uma pessoa que me deixou fascinada: entender sua trajetória, sua infância, seus sonhos e tudo que acreditava me fez amar muito mais ele. Muito da sua vida, tudo que ele passou no The Children of God me deixou extremamente irritada, mal e enojada. Me doeu. Mas achei muito bonito como ele lidou com tudo, sempre buscando o melhor de si e tentando salvar o planeta e os outros, mesmo que tenha tomado decisões erradas no meio do caminho.
O que me deixou meio entediada foi o tanto de adicional da narrativa: o autor queria contar sobre os outros atores e atrizes e, ao mesmo tempo que gostei muito e acrescentou para todo o entendimento de River (especialmente Ethan Hawke), também cansou muito por cenas desnecessárias, como por exemplo: pra quê eu preciso saber a fala de Brad Pitt em Thelma e Louise, sabe? Esse tipo de coisa. Isso fazia eu divagar muito durante a leitura, e torcia pra terminar logo. Talvez se eu fosse mais nova eu pudesse gostar mais do estilo do autor, mas hoje em dia só me deixou bem meh mesmo.
Recomendo pra quem gostaria de saber (mais) sobre River e todo o Phoenix clã. Vale a pena.
River sempre foi uma pessoa que me deixou fascinada: entender sua trajetória, sua infância, seus sonhos e tudo que acreditava me fez amar muito mais ele. Muito da sua vida, tudo que ele passou no The Children of God me deixou extremamente irritada, mal e enojada. Me doeu. Mas achei muito bonito como ele lidou com tudo, sempre buscando o melhor de si e tentando salvar o planeta e os outros, mesmo que tenha tomado decisões erradas no meio do caminho.
O que me deixou meio entediada foi o tanto de adicional da narrativa: o autor queria contar sobre os outros atores e atrizes e, ao mesmo tempo que gostei muito e acrescentou para todo o entendimento de River (especialmente Ethan Hawke), também cansou muito por cenas desnecessárias, como por exemplo: pra quê eu preciso saber a fala de Brad Pitt em Thelma e Louise, sabe? Esse tipo de coisa. Isso fazia eu divagar muito durante a leitura, e torcia pra terminar logo. Talvez se eu fosse mais nova eu pudesse gostar mais do estilo do autor, mas hoje em dia só me deixou bem meh mesmo.
Recomendo pra quem gostaria de saber (mais) sobre River e todo o Phoenix clã. Vale a pena.
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