Bob Dylan: Jack Fate	Jeff Bridges: Tom Friend
John Goodman: Uncle Sweetheart	Jessica Lange: Nina Veronica
Penélope Cruz: Pagan Lace	Edward Harris: Oscar Vogel
Val Kilmer: Animal Wrangler	Mickey Rourke: Edmund
Luke Wilson: Bobby Cupid	Chris Penn: Crew guy
Angela Bassett: Mistress	Bruce Dern: Editor

Directed by Larry Charles.	USA. 112 Minutes.
Post-apocalyptic/sci-fi/film noir /	Spaghetti western / musical comedy

Wrapped around a slim tale about an aging troubadour, this ambitious first feature from director Larry Charles is a rush of pop culture in sight, sound, and song, covering most every political, social, and moral topic you can think of. It's a cautionary tale about a United States possible in the foreseeable future, with redrawn boundaries and a redrawn power structure.

Bob Dylan, without question one of the most influential figures of the late 20th century, is essentially playing himself as faded folk singer cum legend Jack Fate, the central character and raison d'être for the film. Unable to book the star-of-the-moment talent, which Uncle Sweetheart (John Goodman) has promised network exec Nina Veronica (Jessica Lange, looking harsh in Jean Paul Gaultier couture get-ups), he springs Fate from prison to perform a benefit concert.

This intelligent work comes at you from a lot of different angles, some more effecting than others. There is little that is subtle, but much to observe, and it brought to mind Don McLean's 1971 epic rock and roll song American Pie, which at the time became a sort of national parlor game to ponder its meaning. This film is not cryptic in the same way but is loaded with citations of pop culture and a multitude of messages. Cynical in many respects, but like Dylan's poetry, it delves into the complex territory where meaningful human considerations, and perhaps redemption, lie. I found it a bit tedious only at a couple of moments when it deteriorates into cuteness, which nevertheless provide some comic relief. Strangely, though the music is omnipresent, the songs themselves are not one of the movie's strongest elements.

It may be that this film will appeal most to the audience that remembers the `60's, but others ought not to miss out on an undeniably fascinating experience. Restraint is not the keyword and for sure, nothing is sacred. Among others, we see Abe Lincoln, Gandhi, Genghis Kahn, and everybody in between, either on stage, back stage, on a street poster, signpost, or woven into the dialog. I was so busy trying to catch all the lines and references to earlier Dylan works, I'm sure I missed a ton of other stuff. The folks who fare the best in this vision of the future are the troubled-no-more troubadour, Jack Fate, and the band. Those presented in the worst light are the media personified by the sleazy, self-serving reporter, Tom Friend (Jeff Bridges), and his editor boss (Bruce Dern), who advises Tom to uncover the good story or to make up one.

The performances of the ensemble cast are uniformly worthy, within the limitations of the screenplay, (credited to unknowns Rene Fontaine and Sergei Petrov but rumored to be Dylan and director Charles). Although ultimately the parts may be greater than the sum, Masked and Anonymous is a bold and provocative endeavor. An array of star power was attracted to the project for the same reason you should see it; the opportunity to experience the poetic, creative mind of Bob Dylan and what amounts to a powerful, multifaceted cinematic poem.