Seriously, in the type of film that's made for
fans only - and considering this film thinks Dylan is so complex an
individual (both in reality and in his own myth) that it requires six
different actors to play him you better believe that this is one for
the fans - it's still usually possible to tell when scenes and
sequences have a meaning above and beyond what's there on the screen.
Sometimes
this manages it, most notably the black & white scenes where Cate
Blanchett plays a version of Dylan in London in the 1960s. Sometimes it
doesn't, as in the scenes where Richard Gere plays a cowboy version of
Dylan mixed up with an aged version of Billy the Kid in a twisted
version of the wild west.
The real problem, and it's actually a
really big problem, is that this film makes no effort whatsoever to
persuading anyone watching that Dylan is a figure worth all this
effort. His musical history is skimmed over (though ironically, the
sequences where Dylan is played by a smart-alec pre-teen black boy
riding the rails of the American south figuring out his way into his
music are the film's most energetic) and a few references to Vietnam
aside, his place in the 60's counter-culture and folk scene is barely
sketched out.
For all Haynes' obvious skill, not to mention the
numerous fine performances and the often skilful re-creation of the
scattered periods involved, I'm Not There fails to stand up as anything more than a collection of in-jokes and coded references.
If you're planning to check this one out, do your homework beforehand.
EXTRAS with Sean Lynch
This
is a sublime package, with more Special Features than you can poke a
stick at. And, thankfully, they are extras which go the distance in
having the ability to help the viewers join the dots on exactly what
the film is trying to get at.
The sheer quantity of extras on
offer should be enough to sway buyers, a welcome inclusion as most
"2-Disc Editions" barely deserve to be considered extras.
There
are the usual deleted scenes, commentaries and bloopers - however the
real drawcards (especially for those attempting to unlock the riddles
of the film) are the "Q&A" and "Coversation" with director Todd
Haynes, a superb "Making of the Soundtrack" featurette and the
phenomenal 16 Page Booklet.
However, for many fans, there is
only one good reason to get this - and thats the Heath Ledger factor.
Included here are auditions tapes and a very special "Heath Ledger
Montage" which is sure to tug at the heartstrings.
Must see for both Dylan and Film fans.
Conclusion:
Movie 70% Extras: 80%
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