fmdead

I love the new show concept - or maybe just that it has moved with the times. Rather than the prescriptive fashion "rules" of the original show, most of which resulted in the same type of polished look, this one allows the subjects to discover and release their inner fashion fantasies according to a self-image that is dying to be expressed. So it has greater variety and depth and interest. There's more involvement and engagement by the "client" and the choices are theirs. Much more than the first show, Clinton and Stacy (and whatever stylists they have helping them) show a lot more intuition and tailoring to individual style as they guide the person to a wardrobe that will specifically work for them. You don't get the snarkiness and sniping of the first show, (which I thought also started to feel very rote), but I prefer this "feel good" version. My only quibble is that the hair and beauty makeover part is not very dramatic and, a few episodes in, the subjects don't look all that different than when they started.

I've never been terribly interested in Bob Dylan, I'm a solid generation removed from his heyday, although I must say that listening to the songs in the movie gave me greater appreciation for them. The film is a great window into the whole folk music and idealist-activist scene of the early 60s. It's very atmospheric and revealed to me the fanaticism for folk music at the time.

However, for me the film really had no tension to it. It doesn't delve into the psyche of Dylan and any of his deeper motivations. His girlfriend felt taken for granted and he had a fling with Joan Baez and that's it for his relationship dynamic. He struggled with fame vs. Privacy, authenticity and being pigeon-holed. The whole climax of the fuss he created by "going electric" with his music just didn't resonate for me as anything so earth-shaking, especially given the passage of time. Without some solid story hook or arc, this film just doesn't grab, and ends up a bit meandering and superficial.

Never the less, it's a pleasant, albeit forgettable, watch, simply for Timothee Chalamet's commitment to the part. It really feels that no other actor could embody the character so well - Dylan's quirks, mystery, laconic style and passion for his craft. The other performances are solid - I just wish they had been given more to do.