I recently watched two movies whose style and direction were more refreshing than many Hollywood movies I have seen. The first is the movie Once, a musical that doesn’t feel like a musical. The second is I’m Not There - the Bob Dylan bio that has 6 different actors playing the part.
Once is the story of an Irish singer-songwriter who plays guitar and sings in the street. His girlfriend broke his heart, so he moved back to Dublin from London after his mother died. During the day he works in his dad’s vacuum repair shop. At night he tries out his new material singing in the street. There he meets a Czech woman who is drawn in by a song he is singing.
What follows is an unconventional storyline and a very unconventional musical. The music fits the story as a part of everyday life. The pair first practice together after he finds out she plays piano. Then, they decide to cut a demo at a recording studio. The story meanders and flows as they get to know each other over a week. The music happens organically, and the sweet and simple love story is touching because it is so unpolished. Much like life.
I’m Not There, on the other hand, is anything but simple. The story follows Bob Dylan’s rise from folk singer to musical icon. The story is told through six different actors given six different names. Not once is the name Bob Dylan used in the movie. Part of the story is how Dylan changed, morphed, and wore different facades through his earlier career. One character is an actor playing the movie role of a Dylan character. Part of the complexity is that the storyline jumps around from character to character and from one point in time to another.
At some point in the movie, I just let go. It was too hard to keep it all straight. The best I could do is try to understand what the character represented within that scene. That approach pretty much worked. From a broad point of view, it symbolizes each of us as we try to figure out how to play each “scene” in life.
Quite possibly, I’m Not There is not a movie for those who don’t love Dylan. I will say Cate Blanchett makes it worth it for anyone. You completely forget it’s a woman playing a man and get pulled in. She is amazing.
Both of these movies are worth seeing. Part of their appeal is that they don’t follow traditional Hollywood rules. As a viewer, just let go and enjoy.
