How does it feel: ‘A Complete Unknown’ shares famed singer’s journey from folk to rock

Timothée Chalamet nails the essence of Bob Dylan in new biopic

Image by: Natalie Viebrock
'A Complete Unknown' was released on Dec. 25.

Timothée Chalamet electrifies as Bob Dylan in enigmatic biopic A Complete Unknown.

Directed by James Mangold, the film, which hit theatres on Christmas day, dives into the life of the legendary Bob Dylan. With heartthrob Timothée Chalamet starring as Dylan, the film, spanning from 1961-65 tells the story of the singer-songwriter’s early years in New York City, his rise to fame, and his controversial, yet iconic, switch from folk music to classic rock.

Chalamet delivered a captivating performance as Dylan, wowing audiences with his musical talents. After dedicating five years to preparing for the role, he taught himself to sing, play guitar, and piano, boldly opting to perform live on set. It’s clear he studied Dylan profusely, from the way he hits certain notes in songs, down to the way the singer walks.

In interviews, Chalamet itted to knowing little about Dylan before taking on the role, which makes his transformation even more remarkable. With awards season underway, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him earning widespread praise for this compelling portrayal.

The film does a great job of making Dylan feel like a full yet flawed character while keeping an air of mystery around him. Dylan doesn’t reveal much about himself, whether in his personal relationships or interactions with the press, mirroring the real Bob Dylan’s inexplicable nature. Known for guarding his private life and often seeming indifferent, the film captures this perfectly—right down to a nod in the credits about Dylan skipping his own Nobel Prize ceremony in 2016.

A Complete Unknown makes us love Dylan for his authenticity, and his refusal to conform to the expectations of others. This is especially evident in his dialogue with Pete Seeger, his folk music mentor played by Edward Norton, when Dylan refuses to perform his old tracks at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.

By refusing to perform his old folk classics and instead embracing the electric sound of his newer album, Dylan shattered boundaries in the folk music world by staying true to himself and adhering only to his own artistic vision.

Despite praising his genuine nature, the film doesn’t shy away from Dylan’s flaws, especially in its depiction of his relationship with Sylvie, the woman he dated during his rise to fame, played by Elle Fanning. The character Sylvie is based on Dylan’s early girlfriend, Suze Rutolo, who was featured on the cover of the The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan album.

While on the journey to becoming his true self, Dylan’s relationship with Sylvie unravels, highlighting the sacrifices and personal struggles that accompanied his rise to fame. Through Sylvie, the audience gains a deeper understanding of Dylan’s imperfections, adding complexity to his character without diminishing his authenticity.

The cinematography is exceptionally beautiful, thoughtfully depicting  New York City and the Northeast in the 60s. The film also makes a nod to 1960s counterculture, notably through Sylvie’s character and her civil rights activism, as well as Dylan’s performance at a civil rights protest in Washington.

 A Complete Unknown is a captivating title, given that it’s an iconic line from one of Dylan’s most legendary songs, “Like A Rolling Stone.” Yet, I feel the film’s original title, Going Electric, could have been a better title for this story.

The film looks at Dylan’s life from 1961-65, and arguably, his shift from folk to rock was one of the biggest moments of this era.

The film’s title, lifted from the legendary track from his first rock album, doesn’t reflect the change this film describes. Given the focus on his rise to fame and genre shift as opposed to his rock era, I feel that Going Electric would have been a more appropriate title for the story this biopic tells.

Despite this, I really enjoyed A Complete Unknown, especially as someone who grew up listening to Bob Dylan, who later learned about his folk-to-rock shift in a music history class.

It was remarkable to see this story portrayed on the big screen. While the film could have given more in of Dylan’s character, I think it offered an honest portrayal of a man who lives a reserved life and remains mysterious, even today.

In a captivating performance paired with incredible music, Chalamet showcased his dedication to the role, and solidified himself as Hollywood’s it-boy for yet another year.

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Timothee Chalamet

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