Intriguing concept but somewhat problematic

Rating: 6/10 (6 January 2008)

A good part of this movie is very influenced with Fellini's "8 1/2". one of the best surrealistic movie ever made loosely about a director in inner turmoil about what his movie is supposed to be about.
Unfortunately, it doesn't stay with that visceral theme and the process of songwriting is never explored. In fact, Marcus Carl Franklin, the young black actor playing Woody Guthrie, plays the songs complete. His best segment is jamming with Richie Havens, obviously having a lot fun.
Christian Bale actually plays the Guthrie folk singer which for me remains Dylan's best work. He actually returns as Paster John, making a somewhat confused Christian preacher. Might as well add here, very little of Dylan's later songs are done, the focus is mainly the sixties and early seventies. somewhat establishing how irrelevant Dylan became except for his most die hard fans.
The most dead on impersonation as remarked by other reviewers is that of Cate Blanchett. Very telling here is how mean she plays it, yelling and ridiculing reporters who actually just respectfully doing their jobs and purposely vomiting in someone's lap was part of Dylan's insane behavior during this time period. There's a fun moment when one reporter becomes Mr. Jones to the tune of Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man" done quite well. The garden party scene is straight out of "8 1/2" Heath Ledger plays a more unlikable Dylan though it's this version that has Dylan with a wife, sensitively played by Charlotte Gainsbourough. The male superiority tirade that Ledger gets into has been confirmed that Dylan actually spoke those words at a restaurant.
Much criticized and I agree it's the weakest part of the movie is Richard Gere as Billy the Kid. However, it's the most aligned with Basement Tapes period, though the bulk of the songs were done in the sixties. The town Riddle, MO, is influenced by the 1975 album cover which is turn is influenced by Fellini. Even Kris Kristofenson's narration does little to tie the Gere character to "Pat Garret and Billy the Kid" My overall analysis is that Haynes bit off more than he could chew and the dark side of celebrity really could have gone darker as Dylan himself was famous for being furious at the hype he received.
That's what "Ray" succeeded in doing as well as the more recent "La Vie En Rose", both had the singer (Ray Charles, Edith Piaf) portrayed by one actor.