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Join UsStar Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Elle Fanning, Edward Norton, Monica Barbaro
Director: James Mangold
What’s Good: The performances and the production design are all pretty amazing, and they really transport you to the 1960s.
What’s Bad: The film feels afraid of going deeper in any direction, and in the end, Bob Dylan, and the rest of the characters, remain as unknown figures.
Loo Break: The film is pretty tight when it comes to its pacing, and most scenes are important as they are based on events that truly happened.
Watch or Not?: If you are a fan of Bob Dylan or Timothée Chalamet, then this is a must-watch, but don’t expect too much out of this classic biopic.
Language: English (with subtitles).
Available On: Theaters, VOD
Runtime: 140 Minutes
User Rating:
Biopics are some of the most popular films to make, especially if you want to win awards, and in the case of A Complete Unknown, the case for a classic, almost plain film going straight into the award shows just for being a biopic is almost confirmed, because while the film is definitely fun, and entertaining, the depth of the story, and the characters themselves are skin deep, and in the end, we are left wondering what was even the point in telling this story.
A Complete Unknown Movie Review: Script Analysis
If there is a point at all to A Complete Unknown is that it might serve as an educational document, from where new generations can be introduced to the figure of Bob Dylan, who is, without a doubt, one of the biggest musical icons of the United States of America. Dylan, unlike someone like David Bowie, is not as well-known outside the American frontiers, and so, this movie will definitely help spread his music far and wide.
Other than that, and seeing the film as a character study, then the film does things to a bare minimum, and this might be the point, and why, the film is titled A Complete Unknown, because it doesn’t even try to get to know its main character in any way, and most of the interaction Dylan has with other characters are also completely surface level, which is a shame because the cast is filled with amazing actors.
The film follows a compendium of moments, both public and private, that make Dylan look like the mythical figure he is, a mysterious writer and singer that prefers to never talk or never say anything about himself, letting the music speak for himself. There is nothing bad about that mind you; because for Dylan to let his music speak for itself is the best way for it to remain in the collective consciousness the longer, but as a film, the mysterious persona only works so far.
At one point the film gives up on trying to ask more questions about who Bob Dylan really is, and so we are left with just the persona and not much else, which outside his mysterious aura, is pretty boring, especially when the character doesn’t take any action, and the mask never drops. It might be the point of the film, but that doesn’t mean it is an entertaining way of doing it.
A Complete Unknown Movie Review: Star Performance
Timothée Chalamet is the star of the show and the young actor keeps proving it is just that good, as his impersonation of Dylan is quite impressive, especially when you understand that he is singing the songs, and it is not just someone else’s overdub. It is a very impressive impersonation, but only an impersonation, as it is hard for Timothée Chalamet to actually go beyond that and transform into Dylan for real, the material is just not there for him to do that.
Elle Fanning is always sweet, and she grounds things in a context that feels very cozy and relatable, while Monica Barbaron plays well as Joan Baez, another folk singer with whom Dylan has a very “will they, won’t they” relationship. Edward Norton also feels like a welcome presence, and his portrayal of Pete Seeger is quite charming. However, it is Scoot McNairy who shines in an almost voiceless role that ground the themes, and the character of Dylan, even as the surrounding shallowness drags everything to the ground.
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A Complete Unknown Movie Review: Direction, Music
Mangold is a very solid director, and some of his films like the remake of 3:10 to Yuma and the magnificent Ford V. Ferrari stand as true masterpieces of their genres. So, while A Complete Unknown is very well filmed, edited, and the production design is just fabulous, the directing is quite pedestrian, and the mundane decision devoid the movie from excitement, intrigue, and passion.
The musical aspect of the film is fantastic as expected, and the entire movie has this Greatest Hits feeling as we go from hit song to hit song in the Dylan repertoire, and by doing so, we are witness to some of the biggest moments of his life. We have all listened to Dylan, one way or another, and with this film you will finally know the titles to all those songs you have heard, but probably didn’t know where they came from.
A Complete Unknown Movie Review: The Last Word
A Complete Unknown is very well-made, but it never goes all the way to explore its subjects, and so it remains a shallow character study, something that happens very often with biopics when the subject in question is still alive. Mangold knows how to put a film together, but the script and the tendency to see each big moment as footnotes, creates a sense of shallowness that the film never overcomes. Is it entertaining? Yes, but also quite forgettable.
A Complete Unknown Trailer
A Complete Unknown released on 28th February, 2025.
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