Release Date: December 25, 2024
Directed By: James Mangold
Written By: James Mangold & Jay Cocks
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Monica Barbaro, Elle Fanning, Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norgert Leo Butz, Scoot McNairy
Rating: R for language
Runtime: 141 minutes
A Complete Unknown: Release Date, Cast And Other Information About Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan Biopic
Who exactly is Bob Dylan? The enduring legacy of the folk musician often prompts endless queries. Growing up during an era where every move made by celebrities like Britney Spears was captured by tabloids, I found A Complete Unknown intriguing as a music enthusiast observing from a distance. This film offers a refreshing perspective, presenting a biopic that steers clear of overly simplistic answers about Dylan or grand narratives about his time.
Writer/director James Mangold, known for the acclaimed Johnny Cash film Walk The Line (2005), does an admirable job. He honors Bob Dylan’s elusive legacy while delivering a compelling narrative that could spark renewed interest in folk music and showcase Dylan’s electrifying entry into the scene, portrayed in the film. By the conclusion of A Complete Unknown, Dylan remains as enigmatic as ever, yet more relatable than he has appeared historically, with the artist’s unique charm taking center stage in the biopic.
You don’t have to be a Bob Dylan fan to appreciate the journey in A Complete Unknown.
A Complete Unknown opens with a 19-year-old Timothée Chalamet as Dylan arriving in New York, armed only with his guitar and the clothes on his back, seeking out his musical idol, Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy), at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital, where Guthrie battles Huntington’s disease. The film does not dwell on Dylan’s past; instead, it immerses viewers directly into his narrative from that moment forth without the need to cover all 83 years of his life thus far. This approach creates a captivating experience from beginning to end.
A Complete Unknown is further enhanced by a strong supporting cast. Elle Fanning portrays a composite character, Sylvie Russo, loosely inspired by one of Dylan’s girlfriends, Suze Rotolo, capturing the emotional turbulence associated with being involved with a wanderer like Dylan. Monica Barbaro delivers an outstanding performance as Joan Baez, a fellow significant folk musician who intersects with Dylan frequently. Together, their performances add depth to Dylan’s character, illustrating the complexities of his noncommittal and tumultuous nature.
Boyd Holbrook presents a strikingly different portrayal as Johnny Cash, revealing an unexpected side in several important scenes. Edward Norton, meanwhile, challenges his usual roles as he embodies the kind-hearted Seeger, who supports Dylan’s journey of rebellion in the folk scene. Norton’s character acts as a paternal influence, enriching the film’s narrative.
James Mangold delivers a music biopic that surpasses expectations, though not without minor flaws.
Having seen numerous musician biopics, A Complete Unknown impresses in providing enjoyment through Dylan and Baez’s performances. With intimate close-ups and living room serenades, it feels as if one is attending a concert via a time machine. The film beautifully encapsulates the richness of folk music and conveys a significant chapter in music history.
The only drawback is that Bob Dylan’s life is evidently far more expansive than what A Complete Unknown can encapsulate, and occasionally, this limitation becomes apparent. The narrative focuses on Dylan’s emergence as a folk icon, and while it cleverly avoids trying to cover too much ground, it somewhat glosses over significant elements such as his antiwar and civil rights activism.
Ultimately, Bob Dylan stands as both a product of the 1960s and a timeless figure, and Mangold, along with his design team, cleverly maintains this balance visually. A Complete Unknown manages to do what a Bob Dylan biopic should: it offers insights into the artist, creates the sensation of experiencing his early fame, and for some viewers, serves as an introduction to a prolific artist whose records are worth exploring.
