So
here’s the movie everyone was gabbing about around Oscar
time - I'm Not There, with Cate playing Bob - and it
is a strange kettle of fish. Unless you’re a serious Dylan
fan, you’ll probably be a little confused as I was by
the end credits. With an enchanting idea having a brace of actors
play aspects of Bob Dylan at various stages in his career, writer/director
Todd Haynes provides us with a fragmented fictional account
of the mercurial performer. The different faces of Dylan are
given their own character names. Unfortunately for those who
don’t have Dylan’s biography at hand the result
is rather confounding; playing with time as well as changing
the actors at an alarming pace.
Indeed, I couldn’t get much enthused until Cate Blancett
takes over the role and then the screen lights up with her astonishing
performance putting all the other “Dylans” in the
shade. You feel like cheering. For that alone the movie is worth
seeing. But its extreme length (2 hours 25 minutes) and complex
structure is tough going at times. Alternating grainy B&W
with vivid colour, abrupt time shifts, the changing face of
the hero, and filmed often like a slow video clip directed by
Fellini, it really demands your solid attention.
The line up of Dylan ‘would-bes’ starts with Woody,
a talented young black lad (Marcus Carl Franklin) riding the
rail and playing blues to hoboes on trains, reflecting Dylan’s
early interest in Woody Guthrie. As late teenager Arthur, he’s
taken over by Ben Whishaw of Perfume fame in some sort
of interrogation about his art. Jake Rollins another fictional
Dylan is played by Christian Bale quite effectively, while his
character Robbie Clark in a biopic is Heath Ledger. Cate has
the pivotal role of Dylan as Jude on drugs at the height of
his career now wanting to reinvent himself to the annoyance
of some fans. While Billy (paying homage to Billy the Kid) is
Richard Gere in a funny hat wandering on to a set that appears
like Deadwood designed by Peter Greenaway. This is
giving a nod I assume to Dylan’s interest in outlaws.
Billy
escapes after being arrested and jailed as the old west town
celebrates Halloween seized with a madness as we see a dead
girl propped up in a coffin and giraffes and monkeys in the
street. Billy hops the nearest train and to the strains of 'Mr.
Tambourine Man' he finds Woody’s old guitar case preceding
a montage of brief shots of all the other Dylan’s covered
by Billy saying “Me - I don’t know. I can change
during the course of a day .... I don’t know who I am
most of the time.” Perhaps neither do we.
Fortunately there is a great deal of Dylan’s music carrying
you through. There is no doubt he is an outstanding artist with
a wonderful use of words as well as his musical skills and this
is obvious in the film. You have to applaud director Todd Haynes
(Far From Heaven) for trying to pull off a very difficult
feat. Both David Lynch and Luis Bunuel have used two actors
playing the one character but never this number. Haynes manages
to give us the essence of the legendary man despite the confusing
method of presentation and lengthy screen time. It could have
been tightened to advantage.
Surprisingly Cate Blancett (Elizabeth The Golden Age)
looks more like Dylan than the other impersonators who rather
remain their recognizable selves. As mentioned her performance
is outstanding and really carries the film. While Christian
Bale (Rescue Dawn) and young Marcus Carl Franklin (The
Water is Wide - TV) stand out from the rest. One can be
sure the film will appeal to the many Bob Dylan fans, so despite
my perceived shortcomings, they’ll come away smiling with
his music ringing in their ears.
