Great Music, Excellent Actors, Boring

Rating: 3/10 (20 June 2009)

Based on the glowing reports, this is not what I expected. At all!
Just because an ambitious bio-pic aims to portray genius in a arty, quasi-academic, pseudo-genre laden, historical substitute accurate, fawning over genius manner, does not mean that it is to be admired.
The music is great. Bob Dylan has long been acknowledged for his genius. The range of the actors here are no less than astounding. The irony of Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams in a movie replete with songs of sorrow, doom, protest and commercial success .... and eventual transformation. Well, aim high, fall high.
Regrettably, the one big fault of this high work of art. It fails to entertain. My subjective opinion. It is a bore. It is a snore. The music is rightfully fantastic - and I prefer to listen to them on Vinyl, CD, DVD and various video/live performances of Mr. Dylan/Zimmerman himself.
Take out the songs and the music - the film itself. All the kudos - are more for the awe of it all. Dylan performs live to this day - he is a different icon from the years gone by in those days long ago of the nostalgic 1960's going forward.
He himself does not hold himself out as being anything more than he is - which is a lot.
For those than wish some yawning diversion and fine acting. Or Richard Gere on a horse. Or Cate Blanchett marvelously mimicking Dylan as Can Do No Wrong or Juliette Moore as an oh so ennui fill-in for Joan Baez, or the marvelous Christian Bale in one of his poorest performances for an actor for whom poor is better than most. Maybe the worth in this movie is seeing the talent of one Mr. Heath Ledger. Like James Dean before him, he will be rightly remembered for his extreme talent, charisma and tragic early end.
That may be the best and only reason to recommend this film.
Disappointing.