--- title: "I'm Not There: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/im-not-there/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/im-not-there" critics_score: 69 critics_reviews: 13 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # I'm Not There (2007): what the critics said Critics' score 69 from 13 reviews: 8 positive, 2 mixed, 3 negative. Most critics come down in favour, though few without reservation. The praise gathers almost entirely around Cate Blanchett, whose turn as the electric-era Dylan is singled out in nearly every review, by admirers and dissenters alike, as the part that holds the film together. Beyond her, the reviews credit Todd Haynes’s nerve in breaking the biopic into pieces, Ed Lachman’s cinematography across the shifting styles, and the music itself as what makes the demanding approach worth sitting through. Heath Ledger and Charlotte Gainsbourg also draw mentions. The spread is wide, running from full marks at Time Out to a near-dismissal at Eye for Film. The reservations cluster in two places: that the fragmentation tips into incoherence, and that the film leaves the viewer no closer to Dylan than before. Slant Magazine calls it elaborate but hollow; Variety and Total Film both find the Richard Gere western stretch the weakest. The dissenters are broadly those who wanted a portrait; the admirers accept that this was never the plan. ## Time Out — Dave Calhoun Rating 5/5. 7 October 2007. Calhoun gives the film a strong endorsement despite its unconventional approach. He singles out its rule-breaking, fragmented take on Bob Dylan’s life. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/im-not-there) ## IndieWire — Chris Wisniewski Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 19 November 2007. Wisniewski calls the film an invigorating, thrilling achievement, despite finding parts too tidy or diffuse. He praises its craftsmanship, especially the performances by Cate Blanchett, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and Heath Ledger. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-an-american-tale-todd-haynes-im-not-there-73491/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Rating 3.5/4. 20 November 2007. Ebert gives the film a positive verdict. He singles out Cate Blanchett’s performance as a standout. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/im-not-there-2007) ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Rating B+. 21 November 2007. Phipps finds the film thrillingly brilliant despite maddening choices and uneven sequences. He particularly praises Haynes’s daring filmmaking and Ed Lachman’s cinematography, while noting that some references and lyric-based dialogue fall flat. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/im-not-there-1798203436) ## The Guardian — Philip French Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 23 December 2007. French finds the film mystifying but ultimately challenging and rewarding. He singles out its varied cinematic styles and the music as making its demanding approach worthwhile. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/dec/23/features.review3) ## Total Film — Total Film Rating 4/5. 21 December 2007. The review calls the film ambitious, successful, and reverential, though it loses momentum in its final stretch. It praises the ensemble’s varied portrayals, especially Cate Blanchett’s performance, while finding Richard Gere’s segment the least convincing. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/im-not-there-review/) ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 November 2007. Thomas finds the film restless and brilliant, ultimately more beguiling than irritating. He particularly praises Cate Blanchett’s uncanny portrayal of Dylan’s electric years. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/m-2-review/) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 21 November 2007. The supplied page does not expose the critic’s verdict. It also provides no praise or complaint to summarize. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/21/movies/21ther.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Ray Bennett Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 2 September 2007. Festival review. Bennett finds the film an intriguing but potentially alienating curiosity that may leave viewers no closer to understanding Dylan. He praises Haynes’s direction and cast, especially Cate Blanchett’s playful performance. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/im-not-159390/) ## Variety — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 4 September 2007. Festival review. McCarthy finds the film audacious and intermittently compelling, but ultimately fractured and inaccessible. He especially praises Cate Blanchett’s electrifying performance as Jude, while faulting the prolonged Western section for adding little. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2007/film/reviews/i-m-not-there-3-1200556650/) ## Slant Magazine — Nick Schager Rating 1.5/4. 6 October 2007. Schager finds the film an intellectually elaborate but hollow portrait that reveals little about Dylan. He praises occasional wit and structural flair, while criticizing its detached drama and reliance on allusions. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/im-not-there/) ## Paste — Steve Dollar Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 15 November 2007. The review finds the film’s playful, shape-shifting approach inventive, though its separate storylines can feel uneven. It singles out Cate Blanchett’s performance as a highlight that propels the film. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/article/im-not-there) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 3 October 2007. Wilkinson finds the film an incoherent, overly obscure exercise in style rather than an insightful portrait of Dylan. She praises the cinematography and especially Cate Blanchett’s performance, but says they cannot make up for the muddled narrative. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/im-not-there-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/im-not-there.md