Who is familiar with the 2003 masterpiece of a film,Masked and Anonymous, written by Sergei Petrov and Rene Fontaine? Never heard of those writers? It could be because those are the pseudonyms of Bob Dylan and Larry Charles, respectively. That second name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, either? Charles was the director who helmedBoratin addition to writing multiple episodes of the first five seasons ofSeinfeld. You’re not alone if those two names sound like an unconventional pairing to you.
Charles also directed this flick, which includedstars like Dylan, Jeff Bridges, and John Goodman, among many others. Those names attached to a script from one of America’s greatest songwriters and greatest directors of mockumentaries sounds like a recipe for success. However,Masked and Anonymouslived down to its title, boasting just a 25% on Rotten Tomatoes.In the 20+ years since its release, the movie has fallen into relative obscurity. This is likely the first time many readers have heard that Bob Dylan and theBoratdirector have even made a movie together. So what went so spectacularly off-the-rails? Let’s take a look.
The Plot and Star-Studded Cast of Masked and Anonymous
Masked and Anonymous
For those unfamiliar with the storyline, which is everybody, what happens in this movie? The story begins in a future North American society gutted by social disorder and civil war. Concert promoter Uncle Sweetheart plans a massive charity concert to give the battered nation something to look forward to. However, Sweetheart is a less-than-reputable figure who plans to use the event to line his own pockets. Sweetheart bails the legendary rock icon Jack Fate out of prison to headline the show, even though Fate makes it clear he’s just a musician who cannot solve their existential crises.
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Meanwhile, journalist Tom Friend works to uncover Sweetheart’s plan and reveal the truth about the scam of a concert to the public. The drama hits on many heavy subjects, such as the futility of human existence in an anarchy-driven world and the meaning of life and God himself amid all the chaos.These countercultural themesreflect Dylan’s nearly 60-year career of defying popular norms, and he performs several of his iconic hits in character as Fate.
Dylan brings Jack Fate to life alongside John Goodman as Sweetheart and Jeff Bridges as Friend.Penélope Cruz, Jessica Lange, Angela Bassett, Bruce Dern, Ed Harris, Val Kilmer, Luke Wilson, Cheech Marin, Giovanni Ribisi, Mickey Rourke, Christian Slater, and Fred Wardmake up the rest of this heavy-hitter ensemble cast. Jack Fate is essentially the same person as Bob Dylan, with his surname acting asa meta-commentaryon the role of fate in the film’s dystopian world. With this cast and those themes Dylan knows so well,Masked and Anonymousshould have been a sure thing.
The Less Than Stellar Public and Critical Reception to Masked and Anonymous
Masked and Anonymouscurrently sits at a dim 25% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, though the audience review is a little better at 45%. That score was reflected at the box office, netting just about $550,000 against a budget of $7.5 million. On RT,the critical consensusreads simply “unintelligible and self-indulgent Bob Dylan vehicle.” Oof, that stings.
Legendary criticRoger Ebertwas particularly brutal in his review, echoing the critical consensus by saying the film was “a vanity production beyond all reason” and awarding just 0.5 out of 4 stars. Several reviewers criticized Dylan’s stiff acting, pointing out that his philosophical remarks tried way too hard to be deep and profound. It wasn’t all bad, though, asThe Washington Post’s Ann Hornaday criticized the script yet praised the film as “a fascinating, vexing, indulgent, visionary, pretentious, mesmerizing pop culture curio.” Hornaday noted that the vanity project aspect was there but that the sheer presence of a legend like Dylan may have made up for it.
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Other reviewers praised the film for allowing Dylan to be his authentic self, commenting on some issues out loud and leaving others open to interpretation, just as he’s done in his music career. One critic, Glenn Kenny, reviewed the film poorly upon its release, yet took away a more positive experience when he re-reviewed it in 2020.
Does Masked and Anonymous Have Any Enduring Legacy?
Maybe this proves thatMasked and Anonymousis an acquired taste that gets better with age. Dylan wasn’t exactly known for his acting chops, with another significant role coming 15 years earlier in 1987’sHearts of Fire. Interestingly, that film was also described as a project that existed just for Dylan to show off his singing chops. His bad luck went back even further to 1973’sPat Garrett and Billy the Kid.That movie’s director, Sam Peckinpah, wasfired after conflictswith the studio, yet Dylan’s original soundtrack was praised. It looks like three strikes, and you’re out, as Dylan has not appeared in any major acting role sinceMasked and Anonymous.
Charles has had greater success, as he enteredMasked and Anonymoushot off his success as aSeinfeldwriter. He stayed in theSeinfeldfamily as a director in Seasons 1 through 9 ofCurb Your Enthusiasm. He later formed a partnership with Sacha Baron Cohen, directing the comedian’s filmsBorat, Bruno,andThe Dictator. After a hiatus, Charles returned to the spotlight in 2023 as the director of themusical comedyDicks: The Musical.
Perhaps the few who sawMasked and Anonymouswere a little too hard on it. It seems like it could be worth revisiting if you can get past the stilted acting, clunky script, and messaging. Dylan is one of music’s greatest songwriters, and he doesn’t deserve to have his movie lumped in with the worst of the worst. Will it suddenly become a rediscovered critical and audience favorite? Unlikely. But fans of Dylan and what he stands for may want to put this one back on the list.Masked and Anonymousis streaming onTubi.
