On December 25, 2024, A Complete Unknown, a Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet, was released in theaters. I had the pleasure of going to see this film with my family soon after it was released, and it hasn’t left my mind since.
A Complete Unknown follows the early years of Dylan’s career as he entered the 60s folk scene, giving viewers a glimpse into the person Dylan was before he became a prominent figure in the music industry. This focus on the folk scene also allows for the viewers to see some of the other talented musicians Dylan was surrounded with, which highlights just how different Dylan was from any other musician at the time. Throughout the film, Dylan’s struggles with his approach toward music as both the public and his peers are attempting to limit him to the folk music he performed early on in his career. The contrast between what Dylan wants and what is being asked of him becomes the central theme of the film. One scene that really illustrated this struggle was when Pete Seeger, Dylan’s longtime friend and mentor, attempted to convince him to sing the music everyone expects from him, rather than supporting the work Dylan is passionate about.
Chalamet’s portrayal of Dylan came off as much more raw than when biopic actors attempt to act just like who they are depicting, he wasn’t impersonating Dylan, he simply embodied him. Dylan has been a public figure for some time now, but he is still such an enigma. I imagine it was exceedingly difficult to capture who he was from an actor’s standpoint. Despite this, Chalamet succeeded in every way possible. I particularly thought that he had a superb performance while singing as Dylan, he gave something slightly new to Dylan’s beloved classics while still radiating the same intensity of the original singer.
Another performance in A Complete Unknown which really stood out to me was Edward Norton as Pete Seeger. Norton’s portrayal of Seeger completely captivated me. Even though Seeger is only a supporting character in this film, I was immensely drawn to his storyline because of Norton’s exceptional portrayal of him. He really captured Seeger’s feelings as Dylan began to change the genre of folk, showing his reluctance to accept the changing times. I found myself eager to learn more about the singer just as the film finished.
A Complete Unknown was one of my favorite releases this year, I couldn’t recommend it enough. Some may be inclined to not want to see this film because they think they shouldn’t see a film about someone they don’t know anything about, I advise those with this feeling to see it anyways. A Complete Unknown is a great way for those unknowledgeable on Dylan to be introduced to him, as it introduces them in a way that those who lived in the 60s would have also been since it follows his career chronologically.
