I'm Not There Reviews

Our Review

Really not there

Monica Tan, MovieFix
For anyone looking for a conventional representation of famed folk singer Bob Dylan, do not try your hand with Todd Haynes' ambitious new film "I'm Not There". His impressionistic look at the music icon is at times challenging, often to the point of being exasperating, but in the end is a fascinating and probably appropriate way to cover a man who has worn many faces and given away very little about himself in interviews.

It's been five years since we've heard from Haynes, who last left us with the sensitively handled drama "Far From Heaven". Here the director again brings a quiet sophistication in conducting the film's complicated structure.

You may have already heard that the film has six actors all playing Dylan. This isn't strictly true. In fact the six actors, one of whom, Cate Blanchett, is female, and another, Marcus Carl Franklin, is an 11-year-old, black boy, play loose representations of "aspects" of Dylan's life, influences and personality. And none of the actors' characters are actually called Bob Dylan.

Those who find the lack of a centre to guide us through the film may be frustrated by the film's abstractedness. But the man himself never wished to be neatly defined, through his music or by journalists, so it comes as no surprise that a film sanctioned by the singer would attempt to either.

While the film as a drama can seem unsatisfying, and the continual jumps in eras, characters and style dizzying, no one can deny that Haynes has created a colourful and evocative portrait of the artist, and elicited fine performances from his cast, most notably Blanchett and Christian Bale.

And with the film "Across The Universe", which incorporates more than 30 Beatles songs, as well as the Ian Curtis of Joy Division fame biopic "Control" also out at the moment, it seems music buffs everywhere should be getting to the cinema.

Your Reviews

 Sari
Sari
I loved it. But i can see how some people wouldn't. You need to know about Bob Dylan's life and music. I thought the movie very cleverly put across the confusion and the mind bending. Took me back a number of years. The photography was clever also. The acting was terrific. I am very glad I went to see it but it certainly isn't for everyone.
 Georgie
Georgie
This film is fantastic in so many ways. The acting, notably Cate Blanchett, and the interesting photograhy, not to mention the creative directing, makes it an absolute must see for anyone interested in artistic movie-making. It's brilliant and intriguing whether you are a Bob Dylan fan or not.
Anonymous
Anonymous
Don't in any circumstances see this film, unless you enjoy two and a half hours of pretentious cinema. It's so full of itself it's unbelievable. If you can follow the 'plot' you must be a genius. I can only think the entire crew and cast were drugged before they came on set. Shockingly bad.
NDT
NDT
The structure of this film is unconventional to say the least. It is non-linear in its narrative as well as its approach. The idea that six actors can represent the many sides of Dylan's persona and his phases of life is quite non-conventional, and extremely brave. It is truly an experimental way to tell the story of one man's life. It works on so many levels, but also fails on others. If you go in thinking you will solve the puzzle and understand the nearly infinite references, you will certainly be disappointed.

Add a review

My Rating
Name
Movie Buzz
Last:
24 hours
7 days
The most anticipated movies on MovieFix
    Biggest Movers
    What is Movie Buzz?
    What is Movie Buzz?
    MovieBuzz rates which movies are trending within the MovieFIX community.
    Movie Buzz Ratings overview
    You can choose if you "Want to see" or are "Not Interested" in seeing the movie on the Homepage trailer player, or in the Movie Information page. After 20 votes, we tally these scores and create a percentage of how many people "Want to see" that movie.
    Movie Buzz Voting overview
    We then take these scores and display the highest percentages in MovieBuzz. MovieBuzz only features movies from their trailer release to two weeks after they have released in cinemas. You can see the rankings on a 24 hour or a 7 day basis (use the radio buttons near the title to switch views).
    'Like' TheFIX on Facebook!Get your daily hit of celebrity, movies, TV and music news and join the conversation. 'Like' TheFIX on Facebook.
    Get MovieFIX on your mobile now!On the bus, at the beach, wherever — get the latest movie times, news and reviews on your mobile now. It's easy!