He who shall not be named

Rating: 7/10 (11 December 2007)

As I left the cinema, there was a question burning a hole in my mind. Did Bob Dylan really have long, manicured finger nails, and did he really walk Just Like a Woman?
Although I am of the generation who grew up with Bob Dylan, I was always indifferent to him, as I preferred music to songs. I listened to Jazz, Classical, and Rock music; music where words were either absent or merely incidental. You see, for me, Dylan was a wordsmith, and he should have stuck to poetry. For my personal taste, his voice was monotonous, and his music was too simple. I never listened to the words. I therefore managed to grow up in total ignorance of the man, the legend, the myth that is Bob Dylan.
Of course over the years, despite my valiant efforts to resist, the media bombardment has ensured that his songs have seeped into my subconscious forever to remain. I have come to acknowledge him as an important figure in contemporary music, and his songs have become part of our culture, even defining the times in which we live. I still however, remained essentially ignorant of the man himself, his background, his motivations, and the major events of his life; in short, what made him who he is. Billed as a biography, I expected this film to enlighten me. Not so.
The film is not a biography as such, and does not run in chronological order. No, it is more of a multi-dimensional portrait, depicting the many sub-personalities of this enigmatic, misunderstood, protean artist, in a revolving melange of folklore, fiction and fact.
The director paints his subject (whose name is not mentioned once throughout the entire film) as an unknowable, radical egocentric, resisting every attempt to be pigeon-holed. Artistically, he has succeeded in great measure. However, unless you already know a lot about the man, and his life influences, you might, like me, miss a lot of the references, and so find it all a bit confusing.
Cate Blanchett does a fine impersonation of his more publicly recognised persona; so good in fact that I found myself scrutinising her performance for the slightest imperfections. She convincingly captured his mannerisms and voice, but her walk was still a woman's walk - even with a sock pushed down the front of her trousers (apparently)  and too feminine. As for the long, manicured finger nails? Was this an oversight, a deliberate "faux pas" by the director, or did the man have a strong effeminate side? I didn't know the answer in advance, and the film failed to provide it.
So, if you are already a Dylan fan, then I suspect that this film will delight you. Even if you are not, but you can admire its originality and its artistic virtues, then you will probably enjoy it too. However, if you prefer your biographies straight and true, then it is probably not for you.
Although this film is unlikely to be a hit at the box office, it will stand as a testament to the film making skill and creativity of Todd Haynes. It made an impression on me, and I for one, will not forget it in a hurry.