Masked and Anonymous (2003)

A singer, whose career has gone on a downward spiral, is forced to make a comeback to the performance stage for a benefit concert.

Director:

Larry Charles

Writers:

Bob Dylan, Larry Charles

Stars:

Bob Dylan, Jeff Bridges, John Goodman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bob Dylan	...	Jack Fate
Jeff Bridges	...	Tom Friend
Penélope Cruz	...	Pagan Lace
John Goodman	...	Uncle Sweetheart
Jessica Lange	...	Nina Veronica
Luke Wilson	...	Bobby Cupid
Angela Bassett	...	Mistress
Steven Bauer	...	Edgar
Michael Paul Chan	...	Guard
Bruce Dern	...	Editor
Ed Harris	...	Oscar Vogel
Val Kilmer	...	Animal Wrangler
Cheech Marin	...	Prospero
Chris Penn	...	Crew Guy #2
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Soldier

Storyline

Against the backdrop of a nation on the brink of revolution, Uncle Sweetheart and Nina Veronica are slimy promoters planning a benefit concert. They desire the services of legendary singer Jack Fate, and soon Fate is sprung from jail. A rock journalist investigates the concert, attempting to determine just who will benefit. Revolution may be raging outside the arena, but Jack Fate and the benefit concert play on as planned.

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Plot Keywords:

concert | singer | revolution | journalist | jail | 

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Taglines:

Would you reach out your hand to save a drowning man if you thought he might pull you in?

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some language and brief violence

Details

Official Sites:

Monolith [pl] Official site

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 August 2003 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Anónimos

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$30,783 (USA) (25 July 2003)

Gross:

$533,344 (USA) (12 December 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, Destiny Productions, George Square Holdings

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min 112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The schedule board at the TV station is filled with titles of Bob Dylan songs, including "It's Alright Ma" and "Hurricane".

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Goofs

When Jack Fate is talking to Tom Friend in his dressing room, his jacket jumps from his hands to the wall between shots before he takes it down again and makes to put it on.

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Quotes

Drunk: Do I need to ring a bell to get a refill? You can see my glass is empty.
Bobby Cupid: Hey, man, the glass is always empty. So is the spot on the counter where the money's supposed to be.

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Connections

References The Comedians (1967)

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Soundtracks

"Dirt Road Blues"
Written by Bob Dylan
Performed Live by Bob Dylan and his band

User Reviews

Dylan makes good

There was a time when music mattered, and the people that made that music mattered too. Bob Dylan was one of those people. Dylan has floated in and out of the public eye over the years, but has made somewhat of a return with the release of his 2001 album Love and Theft. He has tried to increase his current comeback, and extend his hand into another form of art, by written and staring in a new film.

Masked and Anonymous is good no matter what your opinion of Bob Dylan may be. For Dylan fans this is a tour de force of film making. Written like a Dylan epic tune, think Desolation Row, Masked stays just out of reach of the explainable. Coupled with great cameos, Val Kilmer is far and away the best of many, Masked delivers. John Goodman and Jeff Bridges hold supply the majority of the nessecary acting with Luke Wilson helping out on occasion. However this is the Wilson of Old School, and a far cry from the Wilson of the Royla Tennebaums. None of that really matters, however, because this film was made for Bob Dylan, and he is the single most important character on screen.

In Jack Fate Dylan has created a chracter that personifies his style. Fate, an aging rock star returning home for a benefit concert, symbolizes what h as become of Dylan's career as a musician. Masked isn't really the story of Bob Dylan's life, no more then any of his songs are, it can be, however, his response to what his life has been like. The story itself lacks a little and the characters are never fully defined, but like the supporting acting none of that matters. The important part of Masked and Anonymous, and the only reason it was ever made, is Bob Dylan. Taken that way, Masked and Anonymous is a truly excellent, and original, piece of film.