I made a prediction about this film when I first heard about it...

Rating: 5/10 (19 January 2008)

I said it sounded like the most pretentious film ever made.
So I just saw it. And I was right.
It was a pseudo-mystical vanity project that sensationalised so many real events and turned them into ludicrousness. The whole thing was an insane caricature.
Also, the various plot lines simply did not fit - they bared no relation to one another; half were totally fictional and half were semi-fictional and this did not work.
Plenty of irritating, cringe-worthy in-jokes ("hey, man she's JUST LIKE A WOMAN" - real subtle) that will make fans wince and be meaningless to non-fans.
They blend the barrier between fiction and non-fiction to the point where it just becomes confusing and pointless - some characters are pseudonyms for others, such as Julianne Moore playing Joan Baez's alter-ego, but some just appear straight, like Allen Ginsberg. It simply makes no sense and also occasionally suffers from typical "of-its-era" biopic problems, where numerous famous figures just happen to appear so as to emphasise the time and place.
It reminded me VERY strongly of Oliver Stone's ridiculous film, The Doors - an over-bearing work of idol-worship which distorts facts under the banner of being an "ART" film.
However, just like that film, this film did have some positive points. The acting was flawless - Cate Blanchett deserves a nomination for her performance, for sure. And visually, it was terrific - particularly the ludicrous swinging 60's bachelor pad where images just appear at random on the walls. And of course, the music's great stuff.
But the problem is that a lot of this stuff actually is documented - what was the point of exaggeration the famous "JUDAS" scene to the point of stupidity, or turning the cranking-up at Newport into a riot, when there is already actual footage of the events which reveal it to be nothing like it is shown? It's trying to make a big deal out of something which is not.
Overall, I'm not going to conclude the review, because I can't be bothered. Just re-read the rest and chop out the dull bits.