REEL CRITICS:

“Something is happening here, but you don’t know what it is.”

That line, from Bob Dylan’s “Ballad of a Thin Man,” sums up director Todd Haynes’ tribute to the rock icon in “I’m Not There,” a cinematic collage as enigmatic as Dylan himself.

Six actors, including Christian Bale, Heath Ledger and Richard Gere, portray various facets of the artist formerly known as Robert Zimmerman.

But unlike most biopics, the movie lacks linear flow, and taken as a whole I must admit I don’t quite get it.

There’s not always a rhyme or reason to what’s happening on screen, and that can be very frustrating. It’s like listening to some of Dylan’s music — but at least here you can make out the words.

The best reason to stay with it, besides the soundtrack, is to see Cate Blanchett’s daring performance. With wild dark hair, an ever-present cigarette and Ray-Bans, she nails the elusive, edgy quality that Dylan and many of his counterparts had in the ’60s.

The film is stunningly photographed, a fantasized crazy-quilt of different eras from the Depression through the ’70s.

As performance art, “I’m Not There” is fascinating, if flawed. Perhaps you have to be a hard core Dylan fan to fully appreciate it.

Noir reverses story of disgruntled employee

We have all seen workplace shootings on the nightly news. Several people are shot dead without warning by a disgruntled co-worker. “He Was a Quiet Man” brings a whole new twist to this common headline story.

Frank Capello wrote and directed this film noir effort that adds offbeat humor and pathos to its psycho drama mix.

Christian Slater is excellent as a total nerd lost in a world of gray corporate cubicles. Everyone ridicules him, especially the hot babes in the office. We see his fantasy world as he visualizes the destruction he would bring to his tormentors. But before he can act out his revenge, another office nerd goes on a rampage and kills several employees. When Slater’s character shoots the killer dead, he becomes the hero of the company and his fortunes take a turn for the better.

William H. Macy is also excellent as the big boss. But Elisha Cuthbert steals the show as the office babe who survives the shooting. She is paralyzed from the neck down but retains the feisty energy that drove her up the corporate ladder via executive bedrooms. Her Oscar-worthy performance in this complex role makes this unusual indie flick worth seeing.

JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator for the Orange County public defender’s office. SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant for a financial services company.