Timothée Chalamet Captivates As Bob Dylan In A Fascinating Yet Frustrating Biopic

Where biopics are known to depict their subjects as larger-than-life figures to the detriment of their story and humanization, A Complete Unknown
reckons with Bob Dylan’s enigmatic nature. James Mangold, who directed and co-wrote the screenplay with Jay Cocks, seems to want to keep the singer as far out of arm’s reach as possible. I walked away from the film feeling like I didn’t learn anything new or interesting about Bob Dylan beyond what we already know about him. That seems to be by design but it’s no less frustrating from a storytelling point of view.

The film is based on Elijah Wald’s book, Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties, and does indeed include the “night that split the sixties,” portrayed as a cacophony of distinctive sounds — Dylan’s music, the crowd’s boos and cheers, Bob Seeger (Edward Norton) fuming from the sidelines — that blurred in chaos. Portrayed by Timothée Chalamet, Dylan enters the scene in 1961, arriving in New York City hoping to find famed folk musician Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy). In a hospital, Dylan plays for Guthrie and Seeger, setting up the rest of his career.

A Complete Unknown Keeps The Audience At A Distance

We know very little about Dylan upon his arrival; his parents and upbringing are not top of mind. That’s part of the allure, and it keeps Dylan shrouded in some mystery as the focus turns to his music and its effect on people. Be it at a small music club in New York or the Newport Folk Festival, which attracted thousands and where Dylan performed quite a bit, A Complete Unknown grapples with the musician’s appeal — and occasionally how he felt about it — but only on a surface level.

Even his relationships with girlfriend Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning), who is based on Suze Russo, and folk singer Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) offer only some enlightenment. Fanning is underutilized in general. We get a sense of her growing discomfort with Dylan’s fame and its effects, as well as his tumultuous relationship with Baez, who collaborated with Dylan at various points. Interestingly, I could understand both women more clearly than Chalamet’s Dylan. Behind his sunglasses and tight body language, Dylan remains elusive. Onscreen he is a clear-headed musician who values and creates his art while we watch from a respectful distance.

The film is very much about an artist who doesn’t explain himself, and I have immense respect for that, but it also creates an emotional disconnect in narrative form. It was as though I was watching a series of events that I couldn’t bring myself to care about. That’s what Mangold risks by keeping Dylan out of reach. It made me less inclined to invest in the story, which smartly keeps to the 60s despite Dylan having a decades-long career. Perhaps hardcore Bob Dylan fans may feel differently, but as a biopic, A Complete Unknown is fascinating enough to be serviceable.

Where A Complete Unknown soars is during the scenes where music and performance take center stage. This is also where Chalamet’s Dylan comes alive most, as though awakened from some hazy spell. His music is the string that holds everything together and we get to see more emotion poured into the film that doesn’t exist elsewhere. From “The Times They Are a-Changin’” to Dylan and Baez dueting on “It Ain’t Me Babe” at the Newport Folk Festival, the film’s use of Dylan’s 60s discography is stunning.

A Complete Unknown’s Performances Are A Standout

Timothée Chalamet Is Well-Cast

There’s also Chalamet’s performance. The actor embodies Bob Dylan in every way possible — in mannerisms, his raspy voice, and how he carries himself. Chalamet clearly put in the work to pull this portrayal off and he gets lost in the role. There’s something beguiling about Chalamet’s performance. His handling of Dylan’s nonchalant persona is what stands out the most. When he continues playing to a booing crowd at one point, Chalamet is visibly frustrated, but he’s also collected and focused. In body language and voice, the actor embodies the spirit of Dylan’s artistry and personality, which isn’t easy to do.

Chalamet isn’t the only one in the film putting in a solid performance. Barbaro’s portrayal of Joan Baez leaves a lasting impression. The actress gives a profound performance that will move you, and her iteration Baez is nuanced, as Barbaro uses her facial features to convey her emotions — annoyance, warmth, and adoration — in a way that makes us feel for her at every turn. And while Chalamet’s performance will be much-discussed, Edward Norton as Bob Seeger is understated yet no less effective. His demeanor suggests a warmth that is undermined by his desire to control, making for an interesting contrast.

Ultimately, A Complete Unknown exists between deep and shallow ends. It’s solid overall, with a good buildup towards Dylan’s use of electric instruments at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. The push-pull dynamic of folk purists like Seeger and Dylan’s changing sound is engaging. But it’s also like we’re watching Dylan onstage from the back of a sold-out arena. We can hear him and even see him but we can’t get any closer to him. That may be the whole point, especially considering the film’s title, but the execution still left me feeling a bit cold regardless.

A Complete Unknown will be in theaters on December 25. The film is 141 minutes long and is rated R for language.

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6/10

A Complete Unknown

Pros

• Timothée Chalamet is fantastic as Bob Dylan
• The focus on Dylan’s music and its impact is engaging

Cons

• A Complete Unknown keeps us at a distance
• There isn’t as much depth to bring us closer to Dylan