Ryan McNeil
After 12 screenings, and seven days, I still haven’t gone to a film I haven’t liked. But, I can say that so far, I’M NOT THERE (* * 1/2) was the film I’ve liked the least. The movie is a Bob Dylan biopic with a twist. In my reaction post to CONTROL, I mentioned that Joy Division wasn’t a big part of my musical DNA. Well Bob Dylan is. He’s not at the top of the pile- probably not even in the top five -but he’s high up there. High enough that I came into this movie with a lot of excitement.
The twist I mentioned, is that Dylan is played by different actors at different points in his life and career. Marcus Carl Franklin plays Woody (Dylan as a child). Christian Bale plays John (Dylan as a folk star on the rise) and Jack (Dylan as a born-again Christian later in his career). Cate Blanchett plays Jude (Dylan at the peak of his fame, just after having gone electric). Heath Ledger plays Robbie (Dylan after the fame, dealing with a broken marriage). Ben Wishlaw plays Arthur (post folk/pre electric Dylan, who serves as the narrator).
Now if that was all, I’d be sold, and giving this film a glowing reaction. But unfortunately, the filmmakers went one step further. Richard Gere plays Billy…as in Billy the Kid, who Dylan has said that he sometimes feels was who he was in a past life. That’s all well and good for Bob, but the Billy the Kid story actually does an amazing job of slowing the entire film down. The connection isn’t terribly clear, and considering the personal evolution all the other personas go through, the connection is a weak one. Making matters worse – the film feels about twenty minutes too long – do the math.
Speaking of weak, the cast presence at this premiere was abysmal. Blanchett, Bale, Ledger, Gere, Michelle Williams, and Julianne Moore – all no-shows. For a premiere this high profile, you’d think at least one of the above mentioned could have made the trip.
The film has some great moments – namely, anytime the story focuses around Jude. One of the most famous moments in rock n’ roll history, was when Bob Dylan played the 1965 Newport Folk Festival…and decided to plug in his electric guitar. The moment is kicked off by a visual metaphor. I won’t spoil it here – suffice to say, it’s bang on.
Had the Billy storyline been dropped, this reaction might have a totally different tone. But with it in, I can’t help but stare at my dvd copy of NO DIRECTION HOME – the Dylan doc that played the film festival year before last. Now that was something to be excited about.
The movie screens again Friday at 12:30 at The Ryerson.