a trip to the nyff : I'm Not There(directed by Todd Haynes)
This was without a doubt my most anticipated film of this year's festival. Todd Haynes is one of my favorite directors - but beyond that, the idea of a film about Bob Dylan, with Dylan's music and six different people playing various interpretations of Dylan is pretty remarkable sounding.
I don't know how much my anticipatory excitement blurred my opinion, but I have to say, the film was one of the best I have seen in quite some time. Truly an experimental piece, I'm Not There takes a pop culture icon, big name actors and a Hollywood studio and twists it into something that defies the convention of almost everything behind the film (with the exception of the director).
From the moment he entered the the cinematic scene, Haynes has played with the conventionality of subject and of genre - and with I'm Not There he is finally able to really play with the convention of narrative. He takes the idea of looking at a man's life and tosses it in the air, weaving together various pieces and parts into a film that acts as an experience of a life, instead of a point a to point b narrative.
All six of the actors that contribute to the idea of who Bob Dylan is/was/will be - escape into their roles, with special mention for Cate Blanchett (the buzz is well deserved) and Ben Whishaw, perhaps the least flashy of the Dylan's (Dylan the poet as Arthur Rimbaud). You never really question that they are all the same person, despite the fact that none of the "Dylans" are actually named "Dylan" and within seconds you could be presented with 3 different actors all playing "the main character."
Hearing Dylan's music, sometimes sung by Dylan, sometimes sung by various musicians, also drives home the experience. With I'm Not There, Haynes has managed to not just tell the story of a famous individual, but to give you the impression, the sensation of almost embodying Dylan - to go beyond storytelling. Not only do you learn about a life - you feel it, and it's quite amazing, all 136 minutes.
I don't know how much my anticipatory excitement blurred my opinion, but I have to say, the film was one of the best I have seen in quite some time. Truly an experimental piece, I'm Not There takes a pop culture icon, big name actors and a Hollywood studio and twists it into something that defies the convention of almost everything behind the film (with the exception of the director).
From the moment he entered the the cinematic scene, Haynes has played with the conventionality of subject and of genre - and with I'm Not There he is finally able to really play with the convention of narrative. He takes the idea of looking at a man's life and tosses it in the air, weaving together various pieces and parts into a film that acts as an experience of a life, instead of a point a to point b narrative.
All six of the actors that contribute to the idea of who Bob Dylan is/was/will be - escape into their roles, with special mention for Cate Blanchett (the buzz is well deserved) and Ben Whishaw, perhaps the least flashy of the Dylan's (Dylan the poet as Arthur Rimbaud). You never really question that they are all the same person, despite the fact that none of the "Dylans" are actually named "Dylan" and within seconds you could be presented with 3 different actors all playing "the main character."
Hearing Dylan's music, sometimes sung by Dylan, sometimes sung by various musicians, also drives home the experience. With I'm Not There, Haynes has managed to not just tell the story of a famous individual, but to give you the impression, the sensation of almost embodying Dylan - to go beyond storytelling. Not only do you learn about a life - you feel it, and it's quite amazing, all 136 minutes.
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nyff
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