In the 1950s, young Woody (Franklin) rides boxcars strumming Guthrie-like folk tunes on his trusty guitar (written on the case: "This machine kills fascists"). In the early 60s, Jack (Bale) becomes famous with his politically aware folk music, leaving behind his more traditional folk-artist friend Alice (Moore). Meanwhile, the actor Robbie (Ledger) plays Jack in a biopic, but neglects his wife (Gainsbourg) as fame beckons. And in the late-60s, Jude (Blanchett) goes electric, travelling the world and indulging in pop-star antics with local starlet Coco (Williams) while annoying a British journalist (Greenwood).

Scattered throughout are two other Dylans: Arthur (Whishaw) is the mid-60s philosopher who interjects comments on the culture, and Billy (Gere) is the legendary Wild West hero in a village threatened with extinction. We also come back to meet Jack in the early 1980s when he's become a charismatic pastor. Haynes films each story strand in a different style, usually reminiscent of a film genre--such as neorealist monochrome for Jude, vérité for the doc about Jack, lush 70s style for Robbie. Technically, it's simply gorgeous.

But it's the emotional layer that's even more impressive, as these separate but similar characters are all so sharply well-defined, flaws and all. The majority of the film belongs to Blanchett, and her performance is mind-boggling. She acts with her entire body and really conveys Jude's wacky internal life. Bale is terrific as well in both of his sequences, even though he's playing a character we only see in archive footage. And Ledger has the other stand-out role, with a strong story beautifully played out opposite Gainsbourg.

In the end, the swirl of overlapping storylines feels just a little impenetrable. We luxuriate in the striking production values, first-rate cast, powerful dramatic moments and strongly resonant themes, such as Jude's unflinching refusal to be politically correct. The film is funny, surreal and always surprising. But, as Jude says, you get the feeling that "something is happening, and you don't know what it is". Which might not be a bad thing.

themes, language, violence, sexuality

15.Oct.07