I'm Not There (2007) (nat)

I was there. Physically there in the theater on Sunset Blvd. while this film was playing. I was not, however, in whatever world or frame of mind Todd Haynes was in or requires of his viewers. I was not there, wherever "there" may be. That is all to say, I just don't quite get it.

I didn't dislike it. I thought much of it beautiful. I thought it all very well-acted. I wasn't too thrown by the idea of a lack of linear narrative, or any real so-called narrative. I thought the concept intriguing. I was interested in each of the six Dylans almost equally (although, admittedly, a nude Heath Ledger, a sculpted cheek-bone broody Christian Bale, and a superbly-androgynous Cate Blanchett kept my attention better than the child, the unknown-to-me actor, or the bedraggled Richard Gere). But the movie seemed to have some sort of agenda that wasn't known to me. I couldn't quite get enthusiastic about it while I was watching it. It's an odd feeling to like the actors you're watching, to find their characters likable and sympathetic, to find the situations they're in interesting and engaging, to enjoy the settings and music and color v. black/white juxtapositions, and etc. and yet not really engage with the movie (while not feeling like the movie has alienated its viewer on purpose). It's baffling, really. I guess I could say that it was over-ambitious. But I'm just not sure.

All of that said, I'm in love with the soundtrack. And the movie was a lovely music video to showcase Dylan covers (which I like better than the original Dylan . . . I know, sacrilege and all. I just don't really like Dylan's voice in most cases).