The best movie about Bob Dylan that could ever be made; and also, one of the best about music.

Rating: 9/10 (27 July 2012)

Let me begin by saying that this movie isn't made for everybody (which is a shame): To take the most out of it, the viewer has to understand a few things about Bob Dylan's history. Also, there has to be interest in his music, or in true music - art itself. So, if you don't know much about Bob Dylan, it's extremely important that you get your facts straight (and watching Martin Scorsese's "No Direction Home" it's the best way to do that) before watching this movie.
That being said, we can't talk about I'm Not There and it's series of fantastic achievements,as an biographical movie, and as a work of art - and it is nothing less than a brilliant, beautiful work of art.
I'm Not There it's an non-chronological, non-literal, multi-layered movie about a lot of things. First, it's about Bob Dylan. Second, it's about art, music, and the most striking segment of it, it's about love.
Director Todd Haynes pays homage, here, to a series of other movies; He makes visual and spoken references of Dylan's lyrics, of things Dylan said in concerts, of things that were said about Dylan, and even to other movies - Clearly referencing the already mentioned Scorsese's brilliant documentary, but also the classic "Don't Look Back", and "Pat Garret & Billy The Kid". All of those are direct visual references, and the final product of this is a very effective and successful synthesis of Dylan's extensive production - other subtle references, such as a couple of dirty, sad kids mourning a dead horse that we see for only a second (taking us back to Dylan's absolute classic "A Hard Rain's A- Gonna Fall" , in which he sings, "I met a young child beside a dead pony"), helps the movie to capture Dylan's vast imaginary with nearly perfection. All of those are showed to us unchronologically, without any further explication - we know the characters that appear on the screen are supposed to be the same person, but Haynes presents us with a little black boy, an actor whose relationship with his wife is told with flashbacks and flash-forwards, and an androgynous rock star called Jude - all at the same time. It's a beautiful mosaic, and may even be a puzzle. Putting it together can be difficult, but extremely rewarding.
And that reward comes with an unique and brilliant artistic style. Each character, or each facet of this person, has it's unique tone, it's unique figurine and filmography. The music in this movie is formed exclusively of Dylan songs and Dylan covers, and there are some overwhelming musical sessions. You don't have to be a Dylan fan to get emotional in the "Going to Acapulco" segment, which features a burlesque aspect to it all. Very unique and beautiful.
The emotional core of the movie rests in the shoulders of Heath Ledger's character. It's a story of a failed marriage, of which we see it's beginning and it's ultimate tragic conclusion, that never fails to bring tears in my eyes. It's painful to watch, in the best way possible, and captures with absolute perfection the tone of the Blood on the Tracks record.