Oh, god. A "marginally narrative cultish film" starring Bob Dylan? Shades of Renaldo and Clara, Dylan's 4-hour opus which inaccountably played in my small Oklahoma town when it came out in 1978. It was certainly the most mind-numbingly painful movie experience I'd had in my short life and is right up there next to the original Soviet "Solaris" as an all-time contender.

I had high hopes for Masked and Anonymous, but now as the "Renaldo and Clara" flashbacks start to set in I'm not so sure.

Prepared for the worst, I was pleasantly surprised at M&A. Visually it is good, especially if you take in the backgrounds. Musically, it is imaginative in its use of the songs, in many cases not staying with them throughout the entire song, but cutting away to other images. I think it's funny in places, but no one laughed at the parts I found amusing. As to theme, I think the big one is something like 'how to be free in an unfree society' -- just what you might expect from Bob Dylan. Corruption and love are close behind.

There seems to be a marketing push behind the movie: an unofficial website offers the screen play, reviews, actor profiles and much more. It is a good source of information; I don't know if this is commonplace for movies nowadays but I liked it too.

Irony and sarcasm abound. Bob's character is continually referred to as washed up, has-been, etc, much like the stage intros he's been using recently on tour. And the use of the guitar as a plot device is clever; it reminded me of Chekhov's advice: if a gun is introduced in the first act, it had better be used by the third act, so: if a guitar is introduced in the first act ....

Larry Charles is right about not catching everything. I think I'll go see it again.

The Ramones performing "My Back Pages" is not included on the soundtrack. Rather, the Magokoro Brothers perform it in Japanese. Perhaps this is just the '93 version from the Ramones' Acid Eaters album?
I am going to an evening showing of the film, followed immediately by Bob's show at the Hammerstein Ballroom in what will be my first ever multi-media, multi-Bob experience.

If the movie is half as engrossing or profound as the original Solaris, I will be shocked and pleased. I'm glad some people liked it here, as most reviews have been dreadful. The New York magazine one is at
(You have to scrolll down)

http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/movies/reviews/n_9050/

It is such a pan, it makes me laugh. And want to see the film even more.
PS: Renaldo and Clara is not so bad and the music is just great.

Something is definitely happening here, Mr. Jones. If you appreciate Dylan, it's a must-see.

The stoic nature of Jack Fate creates the overall vibe of the film.
Witnessing the unfolding of the diologues/monologues, not to mention the inside references is like watching "Stuck Inside a Mobile" or "Desolation Row".
Professional critics look for certain things that they're used to seeing. It's no surprise that most of them couldn't see anything beyond what they're used to seeing, but that just speaks for itself.
One more thing. I too saw Renaldo & Clara on the big screen in 78. In no way would I call that painful.