A Complete Unknown
Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbero
Directed By: James Mangold
In a way, A Complete Unknown feels like the Avengers of folk music. A biopic that assembles some of the biggest names of 60s folk rock to tell the story of Bob Dylan. Look it’s Johnny Cash! There’s Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie! And Joan Baez! And Alice Cooper (who is still young and only going by Al at this point in time.) I know people get tired of biopics around Oscar season but this all feels pretty cool to see recreated.
A Complete Unknown follows Bob Dylan from 1961-1965 as he begins his musical career in folk and rises to stardom. The film chronicles his relationships with Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning) and Joan Baez (Monica Barbero) that inspire his songwriting and eventual transition to a more progressive sound.
Director James Mangold is no stranger to adapting an iconic musicians life to the screen. He directed Walk the Line in 2005 and Johnny Cash even shows up a few times in A Complete Unknown. In some aspects of the film, it feels like Mangold repeats the Johnny Cash/June Carter dynamic with Dylan and Baez. In some sequences it’s pretty interesting and in others it’s a little tiresome. However, Mangold directs a great film about an elusive musician who is difficult to know at all.
Although this movie did teach me Bob Dylan loves:
1. Chain smoking
2. Wearing sunglasses
3. Being a social outcast
4. Harmonicas
In that exact order.
There is a thread weaving through A Complete Unknown about the progression of folk music. The nature of real folk music is brought into question many times. As Dylan’s hero, Woody Guthrie suffers from Huntington’s disease, Pete Seeger brings a teenage Bob Dylan in to play him a song. Dylan plays an original song and Guthrie is an immediate fan.
There’s a fascinating narrative symbolizing Guthrie as old folk music, Pete Seeger as a bridge, and Bob Dylan as the new era of folk (though he doesn’t care for his music to be labled.) He brought it to the masses. All 3 men had instrumental places in folk music but Bob changed it massively.
I’ve said it since 2018 and I will say it again, Timothee Chalamet is my generation’s Leonardo DiCaprio. He is a chameleon who can take on practically any role. If you’ve followed the press tour of A Complete Unknown, you’ve seen Chalamet pop up in various cities across the country promoting the film. It’s been a genius marketing campaign showcasing his dedication to the project.
Chalamet sings, plays guitar, and harmonica for the film. (All of the actor’s recorded their music for the film and sound very good!) His stature and voice are quite reminiscent of the enigmatic Bob Dylan. He excels at making Dylan the contrarian musical genius. He is a genius songwriter but keeps everyone at arms length. It’s difficult to know him at all, laments his girlfriend Sylvie. He soaks up information about everyone around him but projects a mysterious persona. His is an unknown. I really think this could be Chalamet’s Oscar winning performance. I don’t know any other actor this year more deserving. It would be a shame if the Academy passes him up yet again.
Elle Fanning is excellent as Sylvie, Dylan’s girlfriend based on Suze Rotolo. She is the kind-hearted political activist who wants to know Bob on a more personal level, but it is seemingly impossible. Fanning does a lot of impressive acting with just facial expressions, particularly in “The Times, They Are A Changing” sequence. Through Fanning’s expressions, we can pinpoint the exact moment Sylvie knows Bob is about to become a massive household name. Sylvie deserved a lot better than Bob.
Monica Barbero is Joan Baez, the iconic musician. She and Dylan meet through the 60s folk scene. Barbero is a great Baez who isn’t afraid to call out Dylan’s rude and off-kilter behavior. Despite the frequent bickering, the two are drawn to each other because of their passion for music. It’s a unique dynamic but pretty toxic.
Some of the film feels more musically heavy than plot driven. For someone who loves music, it works fine for me. I enjoyed the performances and the songs chosen. However, I do think the script could have added in a bit more about Dylan’s background. I understand he is meant to be a very cold, enigmatic figure but the script could have delved a bit more into his backstory.
A Complete Unknown is a film that folk fans can appreciate this holiday season. Timothée Chalamet delivers a powerhouse performance as the enigmatic Bob Dylan.
My Rating: 8/10