Last Night at the Viper Room: River Phoenix and the Hollywood He Left Behind

This biography started out strong, but lost its way about midway through the book, when the focus shifts from River Phoenix to other cultural personalities that happened to be famous at the same time as him. The author frequently inserts anecdotes about other celebrities that River had met at one point in his life. Oftentimes the chapters begin this way (paraphrasing); River will move somewhere or begin work on another movie, and then at the same time, John Frusciante from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers will enter rehab, Brad Pitt will make his big break into film, Johnny Depp will buy the Viper Room club, and so on. I think I understand what the author was trying to do, to set the scene and context for River's rise to stardom (part of the subtitle is "...and the Hollywood He Left Behind"), but it doesn't quite work. It only serves to derail the narrative away from River, and makes for an overall disjointed read.The strongest and most fleshed-out part of the book is the beginning, which deals with River's childhood. I enjoyed reading about his parents and siblings--it's a credit to all of the Phoenix siblings that they were able to be successful, despite their chaotic childhood and their parents' using them as the family breadwinners. I would've loved to have heard more from River's brother and sisters in their own words, in the form of quotes, but maybe they were unwilling to speak to the author. If only the author could've kept the momentum going through River's short adult life, without cluttering up the narrative with interviews, quotes, and side stories about personalities that didn't have much, if anything, to do with River.Also, there was a fairly big error that stuck out to me. The author says that Rosie O'Donnell starred in "Hocus Pocus," when in fact the actress is Kathy Najimy. Rosie O'Donnell was originally offered the role, but she turned it down. Nevertheless, this should've been flagged by an editor.

I didn't really know anything about River Phoenix. He died in '93 and I wasn't even born until the end of '94. But I just got around to watching Stand by Me for the first time a couple nights ago. And i was instantly in love with his acting. I went on to purchase Running on Empty, Dogfight, and Thing called Love. And he is just such an amazing on screen presence.It really sucks that he never got a proper childhood. And instead had to carry the weight of his entire family on his back. I can't even begin to imagine what that must've been like for him.This book broke my heart and left me completely speechless. But the worst part of the book for me, was when they talked about his impact. The idea that people could ever fully forget about River is heartbreaking on so many levels. He had so much to offer to the world and he barely got a chance. I will never forget you River.

This was a compelling and poignant look at a very specific epoch of time that has truly passed us by - talking about this era to a 20-year-old would be like trying to describe a cloud. And as the years go by (or have already gone) River Phoenix is just another guy - like Montgomery Clift was to me, a star I know from a few movies, but not in any real way (the better comparison is Natalie Wood, who died in 1982. My father was, not upset exactly, but affected. She was a star he grew up with and it was shocking to him - but to me she was some ancient crone...when of course she was only 42.)Gavin Edwards does a pretty good job of placing Phoenix in the context of this moviemaking era when today's stars got their start - Johnny Depp, Leonardo, Brad Pitt and others have a few appearances - Depp especially, since it's his club where Phoenix died. It's also an era where these movies would never be made today - or they'd be made for direct-to-Netflix. It was a very narrow window between the corporate chaff of the 1980s and the franchise culture that started in 1999. Just like grunge music, when it ended, it was almost like it was never here at all.That's not true of course - Pitt, Depp, Leo, those are the male superstars of the era. But they've transcended any of their humble beginnings. I'm not sure there's comparable stars today - it seems like we're told right from the start "this person will be huge" and then movies are built to match. They don't make their bones in little films that nobody watches but gain them reputation. Drugs are of course still a big problem - Cory Monteith was on his way, not as a superstar maybe, but certainly a solid actor.Or maybe that's all rose-colored glasses...dunno.If the book had a flaw it was the focus on River's biography. It's certainly compelling, but because it is SO unique and bizarre it doesn't really relate to anybody else. If the book had more focus on Joaquin Phoenix it might have had more meaning to me. It's interesting, but I was more compelled when the focus was on Phoenix in Hollywood.It's a good book for those of a certain age who remember this era and remember that moment of shock that "wait, River Phoenix died? He's my age!" The 1990s were the last great era of America - those who survived it must look back and wonder if it can ever be that good again.

Very detailed book, goes pretty indepth with River's childhood without being overly graphic. Same for the night he died. The author explains in a linear timeline how River died and what transpired that night. Gives more insight than you'd find on Wikipedia, and it feels more personal. The Phoenix family is notoriously quiet about River, but I felt like this book gave us a lot of information that I didn't really know before.I enjoyed the book, despite the sad story that unfolds. If you are a River Phoenix fan, you should read it. It might not be NEW information per say, but it's all in one place and easily digestible language.

What a heartbreaking and interesting read, I feel so sorry for River and his siblings grossly neglected by idiots as parents who were too selfish, or actually stupidly nieve.It's all well and good children of god, flower children .Scientology has a lot to answer for reading this this cult and parents allowed him to be molested,They are an absolute disgrace , they as parents are definitely responsible for his fatal life choices in later life that lead to his untimely death.This book is brilliant and harrowing in equal measure.This book is a master piece, but its soul destroying to read.He was a troubled innocent soul, who's parents let there family down.This book will stay with me for a long time but also haunt me too.Poor River Phoenix such a short but tragic life.

This isn't a badly written book but for me, as a big fan of River Phoenix, there was a little bit too much detail of his life, relationships, his demons. I realise that you must have the bad as well as the good when writing about someone but I just found this book went a little too deep nto certain aspects which left me with a bitter taste by the end. I'm sure it's just me as the other reviews are more positive but for me I would have preferred to have kept a bit of mystique about him. I'm still a big fan of his but have maybe had the rose tinted glasses removed from my eyes which I now realise is not something I wanted or was prepared for. I much preferred 'In Search Of River Phoenix', that also gives plenty of in-depth detail but maybe handled in a slightly gentler way as I felt much more satisfied after reading this one. At the end of Last Night At The Viper Room it suggests reading Michael Angeli's Movieline interview with River Phoenix from 1991, which you can search on google. This is a very good interview and definitely worth a read.

I ‘was in love with’ River Phoenix as a young teenager and knew of his death outside a club owned by Johnny depp, also that his upbringing wasn’t great but I didn’t know the ins and outs.What a life....It’s a terribly sad story which I think is explored well and treated well in this book.Silly but I got saddened for him even more reading he drank Guinness which wasn’t vegan then and he was so devoted to veganism.It also links up the people and places at the time giving a fuller picture leading up to his death. This is very interesting and certainly when you were a teen/young adult in the 90s.I’d recommend this book.

I loved this book. It's an interesting read, showing what an alternative childhood he had, which was useful and hindered him in later life. He comes across as a mixed soul, wise and worldly in some ways and not in others. It's sad that he took it on himself to provide and be the breadwinner for the family. The ending, surrounding his fatal overdose is a bit disgusting to think how shallow Hollywood was and still is, about his reputation getting out and tabloids stating that he was a drug user. It's respectful of the journalist not to take any photos of that night. It's a shame that he wasn't strong enough to stay off drugs, and the lure of LA and admit he had a drugs problem but who knows where he would have ended up today if he'd survived.

I really enjoyed this book if your a fan of river its a must read