I was fortunate enough to catch an early showing of I'm Not There tonight at Baxter Ave. Theater. The movie utilizes six different actors, including a black child and a women (Cate Blanchett) to play the role of Bob Dylan.
The movie has a profound, though not necessarily blatant, message. By interweaving seven separate story lines, which at times range from the historical to the bizarre and even absurd, I'm Not There portrays the elusive singer/songwriter far more accurately then a traditional movie ever could. In a sense, I'm Not There suggests that it is necessary to venture into the absurd to understand this larger than life figure. While a movie like Ray or Walk the Line worked to tell the story of other musicians from the same era, it simply wouldn't in this case.
From a postmodern perspective, whether or not the events actually occured is not as important as reflecting the truth of the individual. Cate Blanchett is especially successful in her role, as anyone familiar with the Martin Scorsese Documentary, No Direction Home, will recognize she has 1965 Bob Dylan down pat.
I will say, it would be difficult to enjoy this movie without being a fan of Bob Dylan (The soundtrack is completely composed of Dylan songs). However, if you are not a Dylan fan, I highly recommend becoming one so you can watch and appreciate this film.
1 comment:
Thank you for the insightful and thorough analysis of the movie. I probably won't see it in theaters, but will try to check it out on DVD.
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