I’m Not There (2007, USA)

It doesn’t always make obvious sense why certain Netflixed movies linger on top of the T.V. console for weeks and weeks. I’m Not There is a perfect example – an unseen movie by one of my favorite directors, about one of my favorite musicians, featuring some pretty great actors. But it took me over a month to finally sit down and watch Todd Haynes’ Dylan flick. Sometimes, I don’t want a film to disappoint. Other movies just have to wait for a particular mood, and there are those that seem like they’ll demand a great deal of me as viewer. I’m pretty sure that I’m Not There speaks to each of these.

The closest analogue to I’m Not There in Haynes’ catalog is probably Poison. Maybe Poison mashed up with Velvet Goldmine. As in Poison, Haynes uses multiple types of filmic styles – and he’s a masterful stylist, as anyone who’s seen Far From Heaven would probably agree – to grasp at some particular themes. Like Goldmine, these themes include identity, fame, the creative spirit, and the public versus the private self. However, I’m Not There has a great deal more ambition than either of the prior films, probably more so than any film Haynes has made to date. This has its benefits and its drawbacks – he’s able to draw some fascinating performances from the likes of Cate Blanchett, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and the underused Ben Whitshaw, and he also creates a sensibility about the myth of Bob Dylan that feels quite real. On the other hand, the film often feels awfully heavy-handed, like the director is straining to make a point, and it also suffers from a length I don’t think it quite merits. I’ll also throw five somewhat bizarre and possibly terrifying words at you – David Cross as Allen Ginsberg. Yep.

In any case, even though I’m Not There didn’t always feel right to me, it was quite often hypnotic, and I can’t say that it does anything but enhance Haynes’ reputation as one of the most interesting contemporary American filmmakers. Every five years or so, I’m excited to see what’s come out of his brain this time around.