A fascinating way to portray one of the greatest (and most complex) musicians to ever have existed

Rating: 10/10 (10 January 2008)

Most people would have heard about this biopic and it's unique way of approaching it's subject matter. Basically, this movie is about Bob Dylan but it isn't that simple. What Todd Haynes does is split his personality and life into 6 different people (of different age, race and sex) and tell the story through them. I squealed with delight when hearing about this as I love Bob Dylan, I loved the different approach Haynes was making and the actors he chose were all odd but excellent choices.
Marcus Carl Franklin is Woody Guthrie (not the actual singer), a travelling kid with a huge talent for music but who is not exactly an honest, straight-forward person. He represents the early shape-shifting Dylan in search of an identity and telling a lot of lies along the way.
Ben Whishaw is Arthur Rimbaud, a 19 year old who hasn't really got a story but who we know is a poet. He's the young, ironic, questioning Dylan.
Christian Bale is Jack Rollins, the high-profile "political" Dylan who spearheaded a movement and became famous with his brilliant early LP's. Heath Ledger is Robbie Clark, the personal life of Dylan. Family troubles, paparazzi troubles and a big ego.
Cate Blanchett is Jude Quinn, the Dylan that shocked everyone by going to electric guitar. Finally, Richard Gere is Billy the Kid, the outlaw Dylan.
These six actors all portray different parts of Dylan (although I think Bale was underused) but all are equally amazing. Of particular note is Blanchett, Franklin and Ledger who all give very strong, powerful performances. Haynes direction and style is unique to say the least, with some stories in black and white, some in colour and all with their little oddities that make them all different. The soundtrack is enough to please any Bob Dylan fan and the movie will leave you thinking much deeper than one might expect.
Not only is it a biopic, but an abstract look at art, politics, the 60's and 70's and the hard times some artists face in turning points of their career.
5/5