The most important, exhilarating, profound, and exciting film of the decade

Rating: 10/10 (21 November 2007)

I'M NOT THERE is by far the most important, exhilarating, profound, and exciting film of the year, if not the decade. A biopic that captures the essence of an equally important, exhilarating and profound man by showing the different personas throughout his life through seven different fictionalized characters. Todd Haynes has crafted the quintessential biopic, a vision of a musician, a storyteller, and a prophet, applauded and ousted throughout his lifetime by the public.
If there was ever any question of Haynes being a true auteur, he has solidified his title as an auteur and also as one of the most talented American filmmakers today. I'M NOT THERE isn't the type of film that will appeal to the mass audience. It's an artistic vision, and will find the most interest with the indie crowd and Bob Dylan fans.
None of the fictional characters have the name Bob Dylan; "Bob Dylan" isn't mentioned once in the film. The film is basically seven different short films intertwined, each one representing a different phase of Dylan's life.
Richard Gere plays Billy the Kid, showing an older Bob Dylan, the Dylan of today. This segment is set against the backdrop of the American West. The papers report that Pat Garrett shot and killed Billy the Kid. However he's still alive. The myth, and the press and public's perception, is wrong. This is used as a metaphor for Dylan's entire life.
In the Cate Blanchett sequence, we continually see the theme of how the public has certain perceptions of Dylan. A reporter continually shows up questioning these perceptions, and drilling Dylan on whether he still cares, if his changing music is still addressing the issues "it used to." This is a sad notion of Dylan's life.
The title has a lot to say about the man. After awhile, anyone in the public eye is no longer there; they're only the perception of what people have of them.
This is a true masterpiece, and a big credit goes to Co-writer/Director Todd Haynes, and his longtime producer Christine Vachon, who continually produces noteworthy films.