Musical Biopics

I'm Not There

When you think about it, to call a biopic I'm Not There is tantamount to an admission of defeat before you start. But when the subject of your biopic is as enigmatic, changing and hard to pin down as Bob Dylan, what do you do. If you're writer director Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven) you cast six different actors to play six different aspects of your subject, none of whom are actually called Bob or Dylan. You then weave them all together in a way that is loosely chronological but lacks any real narrative thrust. Dylan, himself, was apparently delighted with the idea. Its debateable whether the results are any less accurate than the truth mangling of the average biopic.

With recent unfortunate events this will also be remembered as one of the last films to star Heath Ledger. Ledger's strand is one of the more straightforward - his Robbie Clark is more of a film star and represents the failed family man opposite the excellent Charlotte Gainsbourg as an amalgam of all the women in Dylan's life. Elsewhere we get Ben Wishaw (Perfume) popping to spout forth poetical utterances, young black child actor Marcus Carl Franklin as the younger artist. Christian Bale pops up twice - viewed only in documentary style footage as the folk singer and later preacher - his is a strong performance which there maybe isn't enough of. Richard Gere is the older Dylan, in a surreal strand which transposes things into the legend of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid - a film Dylan appeared in himself. Following me so far? However, it is Cate Blanchett who is the real star here - her strand is the most difficult to make sense of in some ways - but she best captures the mannerisms, the fragility and enigmatic qualities of the man and fully deserves the Oscar nom she has got for the role - it would be surprise to see her walk off with the statuette come awards night.

Its difficult to follow at times and probably slightly too long. If you know nothing about Dylan then it probably won't make much sense either. There's certainly more here for the fan than the unitiated. And its a movie that takes work on the part of the viewer, but if you're willing to put in the effort there's probably more here that works than doesn't.

Overall - 3.5/5

Walk Hard - The Dewey Cox Story.

Two facts recommend this film of themselves. Number One - John C Reilly and Woody Harrelson's musical numbers in A Prairie Home Companion was one of the funniest things in the cinema last year. Number two - the musical biopic has become such a tight formula in recent years (troubled childhood - musical innovation - drink drugs and sex - redeemed by the love of a good woman) with the likes of Ray and Walk the Line that it is rife for spoof. So this John C Reilly starring spoof should be a sure fire success.

The target is so obvious that its a bit like shooting fish in a barrel - alot of its bound to hit and the writers keep them coming at a fast rate in the tradition of Airplane. But truth be told it falls some way short of the likes of Airplane in the hilarity stakes. They try so many different types of humour from really crude to more subtle that something is bound to appeal to everyone, but simililarly some bits will fall flat for most people. The musical numbers, in particular rarely reach the comic potential the might have had with a couple of possible exceptions. Some of the running gags work really well.

Reilly is as fun and watchable as ever, ably supported by Jenna Fischer (Blades of Glory) and Raymond J Barry as his girl and his dad respectively. Also watch out for Superbad's Jonah Hill as the ghost of his dead brother (who died in a freak machete accident) and the Beatles (played by Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Jason Schwartzman and Justin Long) who provide two of the film's funniest moments.

Overall - 3/5 It's silly and fun and most people will find at least something here to amuse, but you finish with the feeling it could have been that much funnier with a bit more thought.