Actually, thinking about it some more, I Kevin is kinda right on about the Gere character standing in for post-80s Dylan.

Actually, thinking about it some more, I Kevin is kinda right on about the Gere character standing in for post-80s Dylan.

The Christian Bale character actually becomes a preacher in the film, which, to my mind, would equate an acknowledgment of Dylan’s conversion to Christianity. (It’s possibly safe to say that by having the Bale character being the only one who “plays” two characters/sides of Dylan has something to do with Bale’s first name being, ahem, Christian.)

The Christian Bale character actually becomes a preacher in the film, which, to my mind, would equate an acknowledgment of Dylan’s conversion to Christianity. (It’s possibly safe to say that by having the Bale character being the only one who “plays” two characters/sides of Dylan has something to do with Bale’s first name being, ahem, Christian.)

“It’s about the cultural representation of Dylan, and as such, it’s more about us than it is about him. ”

I dunno, there’s certainly some of that in there, as shown with your “folk story” comment, but Dylan’s always been one step ahead of everyone else in terms of representation. I thought it generally was more concerned with with Dylan’s representations of himself.

“It’s about the cultural representation of Dylan, and as such, it’s more about us than it is about him. ”

I dunno, there’s certainly some of that in there, as shown with your “folk story” comment, but Dylan’s always been one step ahead of everyone else in terms of representation. I thought it generally was more concerned with with Dylan’s representations of himself.

As for my favorite Dylan, that’d be Heath Ledger, mainly because I feel closest to the “relationship Dylan” of Freewheelin’, Blood on the Tracks, and Time Out of Mind. But they’re all excellent, and I actually liked Ben Whishaw quite a bit too.

I disagree slightly about the notion that post-Christian Dylan wasn’t portrayed here. Richard Gere’s iteration, while partly being about the mythic, “Old Weird America” Dylan of John Wesley Harding and The Basement Tapes was also, I thought, about his late pre-comeback (btw Oh Mercy and Time Out of Mind) period, where Dylan basically went into hiding in the songs of the American past. (World Gone Wrong, Good As I Been to You.) And there’s also the “Not Dark Yet” feeling about Gere’s arc too, particularly once he skips town (minus dog), headin’ for another joint.

Can’t wait to see it again. I was going to go again today, but Film Forum is sold out.

As for my favorite Dylan, that’d be Heath Ledger, mainly because I feel closest to the “relationship Dylan” of Freewheelin’, Blood on the Tracks, and Time Out of Mind. But they’re all excellent, and I actually liked Ben Whishaw quite a bit too.

I disagree slightly about the notion that post-Christian Dylan wasn’t portrayed here. Richard Gere’s iteration, while partly being about the mythic, “Old Weird America” Dylan of John Wesley Harding and The Basement Tapes was also, I thought, about his late pre-comeback (btw Oh Mercy and Time Out of Mind) period, where Dylan basically went into hiding in the songs of the American past. (World Gone Wrong, Good As I Been to You.) And there’s also the “Not Dark Yet” feeling about Gere’s arc too, particularly once he skips town (minus dog), headin’ for another joint.

Can’t wait to see it again. I was going to go again today, but Film Forum is sold out.