The song, “The Times They Are A-Changin’” is one of brilliance through the voice of Timothee Chalamet in his role as Bob Dylan.
Director James Mangold brings us the story of the 1960s era revolutionized by Dylan himself. A Complete Unknown is prolific in its approach of having Dylan as the focus. A well-written story with many political factors bringing hope, A Complete Unknown is one of the most cinematic and breathless performances from Chalamet—he is the right choice to portray Dylan.
My appreciation for A Complete Unknown is how it is presented in the context of an unknown coming from nothing and then unexpectedly having a fan base. Around all that, are the choices and errors in the process of fame. It is not only stunning in the musical sense but also in the fact that persistence is key to the film’s story.
Going back to the era of Dylan’s days on the streets, the purpose of having a craft and love for music comes together poetically in A Complete Unknown. It starts from scratch and finds emotional and cinematic building blocks along the way.
With Chalamet as Dylan, the film takes opens with where it all began. It starts when Dylan meets Pete Seeger (played by Edward Norton). From there, the steps of the musical dreams unfold in Dylan’s eyes. With Dylan meeting his hero Woody Guthrie (played by Scoot McNairy), the inspiration grows swiftly in A Complete Unknown. Dylan’s relationship with Sylvie Russo (played by Elle Fanning) is one that is a more hit-or-miss notion in the film. Dylan’s relationship with Joan Baez (played by Monica Barbaro) is also presented in that form as well. However, Dylan’s troubles with relationships are not the focus, but it leaves room for the growth of the more revolutionary moments of the film.
Mangold’s approach has a tone of positivity and a following to fuel the film’s fire of fame. The dynamic side of Dylan’s relationship is lacking; however, this brings the audience even closer to the story of Dylan’s rising life. The elements of that “rising life” are connected to the genre of folk going down the path of electric. The place of worship for that is the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. That festival is the road to the top of the mountains in A Complete Unknown.
To touch on the understanding of performance, there is the feeling that Dylan is irritated with many he is close with. This includes his relationships with Russo and Baez. The musical scenes though, are the moments where he tries to find a sense of reconnection where a lot of the attention falls on Baez (since they tour together). Ultimately, though, writing becomes a competition for fame and, overall, the good-hearted side of heartbreak flows poetically. It just does not find the context of love as he moves on to bigger fame.
With the setup of the uniqueness of the era of the film, the delivery of Chalamet’s performance feels like hearing something new for the first time. There is a moment of a question that goes, “Are you God Bob?” The answer to that question is Chalamet, in his performance as Dylan, on many fronts—his creativity, his voice, his vision, performance— is all spellbinding in its musical force of appreciation. A Complete Unknown will inspire you to never lose hope.
A Complete Unknown may not gear on its relationship dynamics well, but its performances are a revelation. Chalamet and Norton shine the brightest here. Their portrayal of musical icons solidifies in a fascinating gem that will be remembered for ages. A Complete Unknown does not hold back in its faithfulness to the portrayal of the history of the songs.
Three-and-a-half out of four stars.
