Masked and Anonymous (2003)
Would you reach out your hand to save a drowning man if you thought he might pull you in?
Starring: Bob Dylan, Jeff Bridges, Penelope Cruz, John Goodman, Jessica Lange, Luke Wilson, Angela Bassett, Steven Bauer, Michael Paul Chan, Bruce Dern, Ed Harris, Val Kilmer, Cheech Marin, Chris Penn, Giovanni Ribisi, Mickey Rourke, Fred Ward, Christian Slater
Director: Larry Charles
Running Time: 107 minutes
US MPAA rating: PG-13UK BBFC rating: 12
Comedy, Drama, Musical, Science Fiction
On DVD Bob Dylan: musician; poet; horrendously bad actor. So it makes perfect sense that, in a movie featuring the likes of Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Luke Wilson, Christian Slater, Ed Harris and a host of other well-known leading men among its cast, the ever-expressionless Dylster gets top billing. Hmmmm.
Actually, Dylzo co-wrote the thing with director Larry Charles, so it's perhaps not all that surprising that he nabbed the lead role after all. Come to think of it, it also sheds a bit of light on why the whole film is so relentlessly incoherent - I mean, come on, how many of us have ever listened to a Bob Dylan song and genuinely had a clue what the guy was croaking on about?
It's the tale of Jack Fate, a grizzled, wrinkly, throaty old geetar-man who some see as a legend but really hasn't done much of any interest for a while (so a real stretch for Dyllers on the acting front, then). In an un-named revolution-struck nation, which we're left to assume is probably supposed to be somewhere in South America, a couple of untrustworthy promoters (Goodman and Jessica Lange) arrange for him to be let out of prison to play a benefit concert and line their own pockets in the process.
What follows is self-indulgent, pretentious, and utterly, utterly pointless. A fine musician Dylan may be, but he's long-since completed the transition into outright parody of himself and here he mumbles and grumbles his way through a series of bizarre meetings with some even more bizarre characters. Aside from his monotone performance, the man looks frighteningly frail and you really have to wonder whether he's in any fit state to appear even in a cameo, let alone as the crux of the whole project. At one point we're even asked to believe that he's able to come out victorious in a fist-fight with a man who's clearly double his size and strength - that's how ridiculous this film is.
The rest of the cast (including Bridges as an overly-intense journo, Harris as a black-and-white minstrel, and an animal-loving Kilmer) are a determined old bunch, desperately delivering their lines and performances with the sort of conviction normally reserved for material that actually makes some degree of sense. No doubt appearing in a Bob Dylan movie seemed like a good idea at the time - but the words "back" and "fire" spring instantly to mind.
DVD Extras: Cast interviews, extra musical performances from Dylan and his band, deleted scenes, a trailer, and director's commentary.
It's Got: A good "Man Eating Chicken" joke. You can probably guess how it works.
It Needs: Someone to give Bob a good feed.
Alternatives: The Doors
Summary: Thank you for the music, Mr Dylan - you should definitely stick to what you know.
Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 14th October 2004
External Links
Official Web Site
Masked and Anonymous at the IMDB
Comments5 Comments |
| you totally missed the whole point of this film. i found it amusing and informative in parts on what is really going on in the world and the film was obviously not made for your average joe, it's for the thinkers and those of you out there that are hungry to know the truth behind this great big system. |
| Comment by:- jim | | 19 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| Yes,some of us do have an idea what old Bob is croaking on about.It takes a little more time to understand than the Doors.A key to the film is its not st in some third world country,thats the good ol U.S.A.Watch again.When it comes to songs,Bob is whiskey straight up,everybody else is kool aid. |
| Comment by:- Bill S | | 19 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| i think that you have to be a bob dylan fan to respect this moive. if you are a fan you will love the film. if not then it will seem very odd. |
| Comment by:- Blake Worthington | | 21 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| I am not a Bob fan, nor am I american.. but totally got this movie striaght off...not surprised that it went over most reviewers heads...seems their heads must be in a different part of their anatomy..This is simply the best post 9/11 movie there is. Defiantely better by far than Mr.Moore's effort in Farenheit 9/11. |
| Comment by:- Donal O' Connor | | 26 October 2004 | ip: logged |
| excuse me mr. panton. a little respect please. bob dylan>you. please don't write any more confused "reviews" for movies that you don't understand. this was nothing more than a page-long insult to a genuine artist whose art you have not grasped. anyone who rates "2 fast 2 furious" and "red planet" higher than this movie needs a good whap up the side of the head. |
| Comment by:- Chester Elliott | | 30 November 2004 | ip: logged |
