I'm Not There

Directed by: Todd Haynes
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Richard Gere, Julianne Moore, Ben Whishaw, Marcus Carl Franklin, Charlotte Gainsbourg

Director Todd Haynes' I'm Not There can't entirely be labeled as a biopic of legendary singer-songwriter/poet Bob Dylan. Rather, it's an interpretation of the life of Dylan that includes real-life events. Six actors all bring the musician to the screen via different story lines that take place during various periods of Dylan's life. Confused yet? I'm Not There's multi-layered complexity, which you can only enjoy and fully experience if you just go along with it, is fitting considering the mysterious troubadour at the centre.

We see Bob Dylan as a troubled boy on the run (played by black actor Franklin), a folk singer who finds God (Bale), a fledgling actor with a splintering family life (Ledger), a poet (Whishaw), a wise man gone into hiding from the world (Gere) and a popular musician struggling with the pitfalls of fame (Blanchett). Further adding to the confusion is that none of the "characters" go by the name of Bob Dylan. I'm Not There only enters biopic territory during the scenes with Whishaw and Blanchett, who unsurprisingly, or surprisingly for some, steals the movie.

I'm Not There may be a disjointed film, but if you immerse yourself in the music and many lives of Bob Dylan, you'll truly understand what the elusive musician is all about.