The many faces & phases of Bob Dylan.
It's painfully pretentious, gruellingly long & quite disjointed.
It's saving graces, however, are great performances by Heath Ledger & Cate Blanchett & of course the fantastic music.
The film though just didn't work for me at all.

If there was was ever a film that could embody Bob Dylan, this is it, and that being said it is no means a biography. Rather than trying to encapsulate Dylan's life in any serial fashion, Todd Haynes opts to intersperse the different incarnations of the singer in both his music and personal life, imbuing surrealism and pure fiction to explain the chaos of his life. That being said, I wouldn't recommend this movie to people who aren't familiar with Bob Dylan or the musical movements of the 1960s-1970s; references like Pete Seeger trying to chop the electric cables with an axe at the Newport Folk Festival or tongue-in-cheek humor such as Dylan shouting at Jesus on the cross to "bring back your old stuff" would definitely go over most people's heads without any background.… Expand

A brilliant and original idea for a biopic. The 6 different arms of Dylans personality have their part to play, especially Cate Blanchett who proves herself to be a diverse and complete actress. How she manages to capture that druggy and care free spirit of the 60's like nobody else before her. Richard Gere dissapointed me slightly and was the least memorable of the 6 but Marcus Carl Franklin was a complete shock as 'Woody Guthrie' who is pursuing his dream to become a singer. Todd Haynes did a great job to get the rights to Dylans music let alone produce a movie as innovative as this.… Expand

Let me preface my review by saying I'm a huge Bob Dylan fan. Love his music. Love his book. Love his style. He is iconic. I don't feel like this movie really captured Bob's spirit. I was really bored by it to be honest. It was creative, and I thought that Cate Blanchett totally knocked the ball out of the park, but it was just a drag to watch. They should have made a movie where Cate Blanchett played Bob for its entirety. The soundtrack is great, and I give the film points for Blanchett's stunning performance. The other actors weren't necessarily bad, they just didn't really speak to me as a Dylan fan . . .… Expand

First things first; this is most definitely an 'art movie' and yes, it's pretty long. However if you have the ability to maintain your attention, this an enjoyable watch. It's pretty for one thing. And really very smart. I can't say I understood every detail. But the approach to the biography is well done. Bob Dylan is complex character (aren't we all?) who has had an extraordinary life. So we see a fragmented reality, each character an stand-in for different sides of the whole person, the truth residing somewhere within. The clue is in the title. A great soundtrack too ('natch')… Expand

I'm Not There" is the worst, most pretentious, sloppy piece of non-film-making that I have ever seen. This is the first movie that I have ever walked out on. The film critics who raved about this film must have been smoking "funny" cigarettes, while they were watching this mishmash of a train-wreck. Save your money. If you want to see a good film about Bob Dylan, rent Martin Scorsese's documentary.… Expand

Forrest Gump meets the persona of Bob Dylan, with chaotic results in the screenwriters' heads. Insufferably boring.

Literally the best film that I have ever seen.

Pretentious, incoherent and staggeringly bad. Critics who rave about the film do so to feel superior to the moviegoing public, claiming they "get it". Only Mick LaSalle is honest in his criticism: the film is a failure. Of the actors, Heath Ledger fares best, while the overly-praised Cate Blanchett looks remarkably like, well, Cate Blanchett. And after putting up with this film for 120 of it's 155 minute running time, I was not longer there.… Expand

Haynes uses Dylan's many media constructions as a vehicle for a postmodern meditation on the way we perceive the lives of public figures as a collection of symbols and narratives. His work is really more of a deconstuctive critique of the typical biopic than it is an honest attempt to depict Dylan's life. I think it is a great success in that effort. It did feel a little hollow though and it was unable to capture the emotional power and intimacy of Dylan's most focused and introspective work. One of postmodernism's primary flaws is an inability to speak to an emotional human core beyond social constructions. Still, Haynes has produced an outstanding and thought provoking work of art! I do think that perhaps one must "speak Dylan" to really understand the film's many references, but anyone should be able to appreciate it, if only for the amazing music and captivating imagery.… Expand

I could see how someone who wasn't a Dylan fan might walk away thinking this was the worst movie ever, but I thought it was one of the most complex, beautiful, and intelligent films I have ever seen.

It

This may be arrogant, but I think you have to love Bob Dylan to enjoy this movie. I think this is one movie you have to be interested in before the opening titles roll. If you are, it may end up being a favorite, as it is one of mine.

Rather than using standard narrative, this movie tries to capture the essence of Dylan through a series of arresting images, sometimes without an obvious connection --- rather like a Dylan song. However, if you don't know anything about Dylan, this film will frustrate you.

I'm not a hardcore Dylan fan in any way, but [i]I'm Not There[/i] is an amazing film. Well done filmmaking whose only minor fault is that when the film ends, it basically just ends. And while there's a threadbare path of a narrative, it's all a patchwork that simultaneously makes no sense but makes all the sense in the world. Less of a biopic and more of a respectful parody of the weird life of an odd icon. Seriously, if this film was tweaked a few degrees in another direction it could be pure just a pure parody.… Expand

Wow...I was begging for this movie to be over. They kept teasing like each scene would finally end this snoozer but they never did. Half the audience walked out before this was over.

Any discussion of "I'm Not There" has to begin with Cate Blanchett, who gets everything right: voice, body language, attitude, and most impressively, this awesome Aussie nails down Bob Dylan's aura. Her performance goes way beyond male impersonation. This is not a gender-bender freakshow. "I'm Not There" could've stopped there and receive its kudos, but like the singer-songwriter himself, this wildly ambitious film is alternately arresting, inpenetrable, and off-the-rails mad. "I'm Not There" recreates Sam Peckinpah's "Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid" with Richard Gere(playing Dylan as Billy the Kid), even though Kris Kristofferson(who narrates "I'm Not There") played the infamous gunslinger in the original. In one amazing scene, Gere stares into the wilderness, and is greeted by a Vietnam War-montage, which stares right back at him, seemingly at his conscience, creating a juxtaposition between the apolitical nature of the film and the political context in which "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" was released; 1973, when the war still raged on. The filmmaker crosscuts the Gere's section with the Robbie Clark(Heath Ledger) storyline as a way to show how Dylan is multi-layered and hide what's really on his mind. Clark is an actor who starred in a biopic about Dylan(Dylan as Jack Rollins, played by Christian Bale), but Billy the Kid is not even "real". Jude Quinn(Blanchett), the aloof version of Dylan we're most familiar with isn't going to offer up his political views. Dylan reveals his political conscience not as a folk singer, but as a folk hero(Billy the Kid, arguably, is noted by some as one), as he was shooting the Peckinpah film. 1973 is also the year when Dylan found God. His religious turn, in retrospect, seemed so bizarre and unexpected, you're reminded of "Being John Malkovich" when Malkovich announced to the world that he was retiring from the acting world to become a puppeteer. "I'm Not There" has a jagged beauty, a voluptuous imagination, and instills the adventurous moviegoer with a feeling of bliss.… Expand

A couple of interesting vignettes, but utterly boring. One of the few movies that I walked out on before the end.

Most creative film of the year.

three cheers for ambition, but ultimately too hard to engage with. The elliptical tracks can bore or lose you too easily. But it beats Ray by a mile.

I watched all of it and kept waiting for it to get better. I do like Bob Dylan. I like surrealism. I like Fellini. I hated this godawful mess. What a waste of time and money.

Other than Cate, the movie was a failure. I appreciate the effort, but just being different doesn't make it good.

Most painful and pointless movie I have ever seen.

One of the first movies where I have fallen asleep in my entire life. It was the biggest load of rubbish I have ever seen. Just to be clear, I love music and the only scene that was on the entire movie that was worth something was (hence the score of 1) was where the 3 dudes sit on the porch and play the song with their guitars. That was decent and sounded great. The rest. Drivel. Sorry.

This movie seemed to be long winded , boring, and confusing. I feel like the people who might seek this movie out, may not have the attention span to even follow it, or maybe zone in and out of it. Too bad.

Heartbreaking.. I know Haynes was trying to capture the enigma that Dylan is and has been but good grief what was he thinking?? Watching Masked and Anonymous wasn't great but at least it was watchable and sometimes funny. I only hope that someone someday does capture the greatest 20th century songwriter

I'm a huge Dylan fan, and I love cinema. This movie is fantastic! Sam J, you are an idiot. Maybe they will make a movie about Kenny Chesney and they you'd be happy???

I am not particularly a fan of Dylan's, but the film kept me fully engaged about 90% of the time.

Brilliant, dazzling, visionary. It really is that good. You'll either love it or hate it, as you can see from the reviews. Not for everyone, but if I could give a film an "11" this would be one to garner that honor. If you're at all into Dylan, it's a must see. But even non-Dylan fans may really love this. Two Oscar-worthy performances, by Cate Blanchett and Marcus Carl Franklin. I can't wait to see it again.… Expand

To fully appreciate this movie, you need to have a cursory knowledge of the Dylan backstory. I'm a big Dylan fan, but I went to the film with a friend who didn't know much about him. While I hung on every little cue and loved the imagery, my friend came away hopelessly confused. My advice: brush up on the Bob Dylan wikipedia entry before going.

What a great Dylan movie! Cate Blanchett is a revelation! I gave 9 instead of 10 stars because of the Richard Gere sequences, although something tells me that it's a lot more like what's inside Bob Dylan's head than the rest of the movie.

The problem with movies that have 6 interwoven bits is that almost inevitable some will outshine the others. I found the Blanchett, Franklin and Gere bits great, and the others just pretty good. Still, Haynes is owed props for making such an uncompromising movie. I can't believe this is in wide distribution, showing in the multiplexes alongside Fred Claus! The soundtrack is going to rock: the originals are of course, great but the covers? Sonic Youth, Iggy, Calexico, Antony and the Johnsons, Stephen Malkmus, Richie Havens (that scene with Frankin on the porch is almost a movie-stealer)this will be the high-end tribute album Bob never really got.… Expand

You have give Haynes credit for the concept and courage in making this film. That being said, it has no core, emotional or otherwise. For instance, after you get over how brillantly Cate Blanchette has reproduced the Dyaln of Don't Look Back, you wonder what the point. Why not just watch Don't Look Back? Ultimately, much of the movie is tedious and boring.

During the film, I was lost.I was a bit puzzled because of the odd technique, yet by the end of the movie I had a sense of satisfaction. Not the best movie I have seen but definitely engaging.

Ugh. I thought I was dying from torture techniques by the end...the many opportunities for a merciful ending. Please let it end! Oh No! We're back in the western town! Kill Me. And I went to art school.

It's a movie you need to do your homework on to get something from, but if you can it is quite rewarding. It's a labyrinth in being both a biopic and something entirely metaphorical, and sometimes both.

You have to be a Dylan geek to enjoy this film. If you are steeped in his work, biography and legend this movie is arresting and essential. The only complaint I have about this film is that it relies on the viewer really knowing Dylan.

In spite of all its gobbledygook, really an ordinary biopic, with the same cloying tendencies as "Ray" and "Walk the Line." If the Fellini of the 1970s had directed either of those, undoubtedly this would have been the result, except it wouldn't have been so visually dull.

Kate blanchett is really good. Then there's the interest of seeing some big name actors play a very original role. Then there is the movie, once the gimic of seeing these actors in this role wears off, this movie is awful. Fast forward awful...... although, if you studied philosophy, psychology, art, or other stuff like that; maybe you will find the needle in the haystack and enjoy this.

Wonderfully engaging.

An incoherent mess filled with great performances (Ledger, Blanchett for two) wasted.

A Stunning example of Arthouse film, and while a lot of people understandably will not understand it (Arthouse is aimed at a niche audience). The acting is wonderful and the cinematography is beautifully mastered. A must see for art house lovers and the open minded, but if you're not an art house fan or are a piece of "Hollywood brainwashing" then this is not for you.

Completely ridiculous notices here by people who love Dylan, but may not be serious movie fans. This is a disjointed, overly stylized treatise which is often torturous to sit through. I adored Haynes' FAR FROM HEAVEN, but this is a major disappointment.

Fascinating failure, lengthy and pretentious. Haynes' idea of exploring Bob Dylan's psychic personas through different actors is brilliant with two standout performances: Cate Blanchett as the mid-60s druggy, psyched-out Dylan and Marcus Carl Franklin as Dylan incarnating a runaway, Woody Guthrie-worshipping black boy. The other Dylans, Christian Bale as a protest folkie turned Christian preacher, Heath Ledger as a womanizing movie star, Ben Whishaw as motormouth pseudo Rimbaud, and Richard Gere as an aged Billy the Kid, add no new revelations to the Dylan legend and the movie eventually becomes tedious and boring in its gimmickry. Striking black and white scenes lifted directly from Fellini's "8 & 1/2" (even using Nino Rota's score) effortlessly blended with scenes of the American West eventually loose their attraction as conversations about art and the role of the artist don't bring new insight. The soundtrack mixing original Dylan songs with covers by diverse acts such as Sonic Youth and Charlotte Gainsbourg is quite good but cannot save the film from its empty core. This film is a bore and Dylan deserves better.… Expand

The movie was confusing, which, if you are a Dylanologist, is exactly the point. I loved all the visual references to songs that were not played. I don't think a bio of Dylan could be made in any other way. His is not a "Ray" or a "Dream Girls" kind of story. The bit about Heath Lodger being a movie star rather than a singer was odd and I don't think anyone in the audience knew what was going on there, myself included. And the Richard gere sequence did not transition well.… Expand

A good friend said it best as we were preparing to leave the theatre after watching I'm Not There, "That is two hours I will never get back." He of course was talking about the non-sequitor path in the life of Bob Dylan, incredulously put to celluloid. The vignettes in the different personae of lives couldn't save the film built around metaphors of civil unrest and struggle, hence the references to the life of Dylan. The resounding theme centered around the tobacco industry, showing that it could still spend advertising dollars in one of the last mediums available to it. Anyone who could breath in the movie was puffing on a cigarette. In one of the vignettes I was somewhat surprised they didn't find a way to put a cancer stick in the mouth of the woman on a Halloween stage play, portrayed as dead in a prop casket. Even that scene fell from all senses. In it, the character of Richard Gere donned a mask to protect his identity and protest a government exercise of eminent domain. With his arrest, someone in the crowd said, "Once a thief, always a thief." I dug deep for that one to pare civil unrest to the crime of robbery by Pat Garrett, and thought about its deeper meaning. Forgive me, I can't consciously go through any mental exercise with this film. There was a couple minutes of entertainment as a young Marcus Carl Franklin, named Woody Guthrie, plucked a round of skittles in a trio of guitar virtuoso. Even Cate Blanchett couldn't save this film. Her portrayal of Dylan was almost believable. In one scene she was in a playful mood with the Beatles in the park. The Beatles were playful, and the frolicking was sped up to represent the fast motion of the Fab Four. I left wishing they had sped up the entire movie, fast forwarding to the end. In that way my friend and I would not have wasted two hours of our lives. If I were to like this movie, maybe I would need psychedelic drugs, strapped down with my eyes taped open like Malcolm McDowell in Clockwork Orange.… Expand

I nearly left after 30 mins but hung in for another 60 I guess. I found the film went over the same angst filled void too many times to be really informative. pretty disappointing made even worse by Cate Blanchett's stereotypical performance. Hope Todd Haynes doesnt turn the lens on The Stones next

I'm Not There is long, surreal and enigmatic, and overall a great movie. Cate Blanchett is obviously amazing, and Marcus Carl Franklin, Heath Ledger and Ben Whishaw are all great. Richard Gere is pretty good, but the role is under utilized and Christian Bale is so so. The visuals are great and varied, the soundtrack is top notch and you're in heaven if you're a Bobby Zimmerman fan.

I was not impressed. All the different actors playing Bob Dylan didn't even look related. Cate Blanchett was a huge disappointment. She looked like Cate Blanchett and sounded like her, not Dylan. The direction was pretentious. The b&w/color was pointless. I have never been a fan of Bob Dylan as it is. The man can't sing and shouldn't be doing so. His songs are good, but his voice stinks.… Expand

This confirms that the so called experts (critics) don't have a clue as to what makes up a good movie. This movie stinks! Don't waste your time.

Only a 3 for the music. I've been a Dylan guy since the 60s. I have no idea what this flick is about. Terrible. Maybe if I was a poet or something I might have seen through all the bull----. Surely someone could have made a realistic movie about this guy, but we were thrown this crap. Too bad......But I still love Bobby for what HE is, not this guy in this movie. (or guys?)

Worst movie of my life. Only watched because Hubby loves Dylan. My God, what a piece of garbage. No wonder it never played in the theaters. Long live Dylan...can this flick.

Classic, you need a firm grip of history and bob dylan to get the most out of it.

Had the movie been as moving as it is thrilling, challenging, awe-inspiring and original, it would have been a masterpiece in the vein of a great Dylan album. As it is, it's a the most fascinating and intelligent American film I've seen in a few years. I loved every minute of it.

Todd Haynes experimental Dylan bio-pic is an experiment that fails. As a huge Dylan fan, I took nothing away from this. The stunt casting was just that-a stunt. The various allusions to '60 art films were pointless. And the film's free form structure does the film in-it just becomes a pointless jumble. A game cast is totally wasted-Blanchett is overrated and what Richard Gere�39;s segment has to do with anything is beyond me. A total misfire from Haynes. I love Dylan and I recommend you go and throw on a couple of his albums. A far more rewarding prospect than sitting through this film.… Expand

Given its title in reference to an outtake off of one of Dylan

As a movie fan, I was blown away by the imagination and originality of I'm Not There, as a Dylan fan, I was euphoric! I'm Not There is a two hour Orgasm!! It is not to be missed by movie fans or Dylan fans. Icing on the cake for music in movies this year after Once, La Vie En Rose and Across the Universe.

The movie Dylan himself always tried to make, but failed.