A Complete Unknown
Timothée Chalamet plays Bob Dylan in a look at the songwriter’s meteoric rise from folk singer to rock star.
Times a-changin': Timothée Chalamet
Image courtesy of Walt Disney Studios.
Of course, he wasn’t unknown for long. As revealed in this well-crafted biopic of Bob Dylan, the singer’s rise up the ladder of superstardom was pretty swift. Focusing on his early adult years, between 1961 and 1965, the film is more character study than career trajectory, as “the mysterious minstrel” (in the words of his girlfriend, Sylvie, played by Elle Fanning) ambles his way into the public consciousness. With full access to Dylan’s musical catalogue, and with the approval of the 83-year-old songwriter, A Complete Unknown is nothing if not authentic, anchored by a dedicated and immersive turn by Timothée Chalamet, who performs all of Dylan’s songs himself recorded live on set. And considering Dylan’s characteristic whine, it is to Chalamet’s credit that he has refrained from any hint of parody.
Essentially a series of scenes stitched together, the film tends towards the episodic, lacking the momentum of such rags-to-riches biogs like Rocketman, Back to Black or Better Man. But the scenes stand perfectly well on their own, with another classic performance just around the corner (apparently Chalamet learned forty songs for the film), and with excellent support. Edward Norton is exceptionally warm and empathetic as Pete Seeger, who is the first to hear Dylan sing as the latter serenades his hero, a bed-ridden Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy), who is suffering from Huntington's disease. It’s one of those moments, a scene of immense power that almost makes up for Chalamet’s often impenetrable diction. Also outstanding is Monica Barbaro as the folk singer Joan Baez, who exudes intelligence and sensitivity (as well as a great pair of pipes).
If there’s an underlying shortcoming, it’s with the character of Dylan himself, who veers between being petulant and cruel to self-consciously enigmatic and unreadable. The last Dylan biopic, I’m Not There (2007), provided more variety, particularly as the director Todd Haynes elected to have him played by six different actors, including Christian Bale, Ben Whishaw and Cate Blanchett (!). For now, though, Chalamet’s performance is pitch perfect. Abundant news footage feeds the protest songs that he was prone to write, giving the film a strong historical context, while the set design and production values are to die for. The film is likely to appeal more to those who are already familiar with and enamoured of the Dylan phenomenon, so that his appearances at the Newport and Monterey Folk Festivals should provide a certain frisson, not to mention his unannounced appearance at the Chelsea hotel. And it all ends on a dramatic high, which will come as no surprise for those who know that the film is based on Elijah Wald’s 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric!
JAMES CAMERON-WILSON
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz, Scoot McNairy, Eriko Hatsune, Big Bill Morganfield, Will Harrison, Michael Chernus, Charlie Tahan, Eli Brown, David Alan Basche, Laura Kariuki.
Dir James Mangold, Pro Peter Jaysen, James Mangold, Alex Heineman, Bob Bookman, Alan Gasmer, Jeff Rosen, Timothée Chalamet and Fred Berger, Screenplay James Mangold and Jay Cocks, based on Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald, Ph Phedon Papamichael, Pro Des François Audouy, Ed Andrew Buckland and Scott Morris, Costumes Arianne Phillips, Sound David Giammarco.
Veritas Entertainment/White Water/Range Media Partners/The Picture Company/Turnpike Films-Walt Disney Studios.
140 mins. USA. 2024. US Rel: 25 December 2024. UK Rel: 17 January 2025. Cert. 15.
