Masked and Anonymous (2003)

Director:

Larry Charles

Writers:

Bob Dylan (written by) &
Larry Charles (written by)

Release Date:

8 August 2003 (Canada)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Concert | Benefit | Journalist | Assault | Bandit

Cast

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

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some language and brief violence.

Runtime:

112 min (Sundance Film Festival)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Australia:M | Canada:14A | USA:PG-13 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

BBC Films

Trivia:

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

Goofs:

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

Quotes:

Jack Fate: All of us in some way are trying to kill time. When it's all said and done, time ends up killing us.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 'Masked & Anonymous' Exposed (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Down in the Flood

misunderstood

I didn't like this movie when I first saw it, but after the third viewing I'm starting to get it. For one thing, it works as an explanation to Dylan's audience as to why he abandoned his "finger-pointing" political songs. And it has a lot of elevated-language aphoristic flourishes that work like great lines from Dylan songs. It also is pretty interesting as a prophecy of the outcome of our current illegal immigration situation--Mickey O'Rourke's character, who becomes President at the end of the film, points out to Dylan's character that when he first came to "this country, I was an illegal." This movie's pretty damn cool.