Daisy McManus, Contributing Writer
As someone who grew up listening to Bob Dylan with my dad, I was over the moon to hear about the upcoming film set to be released in late 2024. Nonetheless, I kept my expectations low on account of the disappointment other similarly anticipated movies tended to cause. Before entering the theaters, I stayed off of social media and avoided all possible clips and spoilers of the movie to go in completely blind. With talented actors such as Timothée Chalamet and Elle Fanning, I knew that the movie had potential.
Where my fears laid, however, was with the overwhelming amount of hype surrounding this movie. Was this just another film for Timothée Chalamet lovers, or was it an accurate and interesting biopic of Bob Dylan’s life and career? I went to the theaters with that question in mind, and I can say that I was not disappointed.
“A Complete Unknown”, directed by James Mangold and released in theaters on Dec. 25, 2024, tells the narrative of the initial years of Dylan’s career and his journey from traditional, acoustic folk to a more contemporary folk-rock genre. It begins with his move to New York City to meet his idol, Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy), who was recently hospitalized. During the visit, he meets Pete Seeger (Edward Norton) and, from that point forward, becomes fully immersed in the New York City folk scene. We follow Dylan as he strays from typical folk conventions and toward controversial folk rock, especially in his performance at the Newport Folk festival.
The film also dives into Dylan’s complex relationship with artist Suze Rotolo (Elle Fanning), renamed “Sylvie Russo” in the movie, and popular folk musician Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro). Honestly, the blunt portrayal of Dylan’s unhealthy past with these women pleasantly surprised me. Oftentimes, works similar to this, especially ones with substantial influence from the subject of the film, hide the ugly parts of a celebrity’s backstory. I respect “A Complete Unknown” for showing the honest story, even if it’s a hard truth.
Many Dylan fans worried that Chalamet would not be able to accurately portray the artist’s unique, distinctive voice. Understand the concerns. I was also wondering if Chalamet had what it took to succeed in this role. As soon as the first song played, my fears were appeased. Does he sound exactly like the Bob Dylan that we all love? Of course not. However, Chalamet does about as good as a young actor/singer could do. I can’t imagine many actors who would have done a better job, if any.
The film itself and its viewers expected a lot of Chalamet, and he killed it. He far exceeded my personal expectations, and it seems that is the common consensus. I am the first to point out when a movie is only popular because of the fanbase of an actor, but I truly do not believe that is the case here. Though Timothée Chalamet’s past performances and social status may have been what drew some to the theaters, his stellar performance and accurate portrayal of the icon, Bob Dylan, were what kept people watching.