A Complete Unknown | Review by: Amanda Guarragi
The sixties were a decade of radical change. At the time, communities came together to stand and show their power. Many turned to music to express themselves and reassure the American people that even though the world around them is changing, they can be on the right side of history and change with it positively.
When Bob Dylan stepped onto the scene in 1962, he was influenced by Woody Guthrie’s folk music. Dylan is a highly decorated musician because of how gifted he was lyrically. The lyrics were impactful, and some songs such as “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Times They Are a-Changin” became anthems for the civil rights and antiwar movements.
Dylan’s lyrics had distinct prose as he drew inspiration from poetry and classic literature. He was a storyteller who made connections with American culture and events. Dylan was an advocate. He used his lyrics to help reassure others and inform people about the shifting tide of the American sociopolitical climate. He wanted to push limits and appeal to the growing counterculture.
In A Complete Unknown, directed by James Mangold, he explores the enigma of Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet). From the moment the film begins, there’s a mystery about this young man with a guitar strapped to his back seeking one of his idols in the folk community. He didn’t have much to say and seemed more reserved than others, but once he began to sing, he held so much power. More importantly, he had a quiet charisma and would keep anyone engaged with what he had to say.
Timothée has always been one of the most exciting young actors to watch, and to see him grow as an actor for this role was incredible. Chalamet physically transformed into Dylan and embodied him entirely. The voice may not sound the same, but it was the attitude and earnest nature of getting his music out for himself and not for others. Dylan was bouncing with energy because lyrics would flow through him effortlessly, and watching Chalamet fall into it so naturally was a joy. If anything can be taken from this film as worth the watch, it is most definitely Chalamet’s performance.
The structure of the biopic itself is fairly generic but can also be interpreted as clever when navigating Dylan’s life. Many consider him an enigma, and no one knows who he is to the depths of his soul except through his music.
Mangold showcased his early work, and the musical arrangements were well-executed. The intimate framing of the characters while recording the live performances was efficacious. Instead of diving deep into the reason behind the lyrics, they let the music speak for itself to have the audience listen to what was produced by Dylan.
However, it played out episodically with important moments of Dylan’s life. Even though Chalamet portrayed Dylan brilliantly, there was no depth as it remained the surface level of his persona. Even Dylan’s love affairs with Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) and Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning) only went as deep as Dylan would allow them to. He kept everyone around him at arm's length and wouldn’t show too much.
The film was a cycle of musical performances with minor moments of Dylan’s daily life. His personality shone brightly when people spoke about his music and how he wanted things done for his career.
Dylan’s relationship with Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy) and Pete Seeger (Edward Norton) shifts throughout the film. At first, Dylan has met his idol and wants to be initiated into the folk community. Once Seeger sees this as an opportunity to gain a wider audience, he holds Dylan too tightly and doesn’t want him to forget his roots. When Dylan becomes a sensation almost instantly, he knows there’s a different sound he could tap into, so he tries different instruments and sounds to see how else he can evolve. Norton’s performance as Seeger is more self-contained than we’ve seen in the past. It’s not his best performance, but it was a different role for him and a different side we haven’t seen.
A Complete Unknown hits all the right chords for a musical biopic about a man who wrote profound lyrics, yet no one knew who he truly was. Dylan never wanted the spotlight, all he wanted was to make music and change the way people perceived the world around them. If you listen closely enough, you can find the heart of Bob Dylan in all of his songs.
Timothée Chalamet turned in another award-worthy performance and has continuously impressed me with his talent. He picked up any instrument in this and made it look like he had played it for his entire life. Even though it wasn’t so much a deep dive into Dylan’s life, Mangold stayed true to the persona of Bob Dylan and made the film as cool and reserved as Dylan was, and that’s why it worked in this case.
3.5/5
Review by: Amanda Guarragi
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