Timothee Chalamet plays Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.” (Searchlight Pictures)
People love to hate music biopics. Ever since “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” satirized the genre in 2007, audiences have dismissed new releases as mere Oscar bait, curated “greatest hits” soundtracks selling nostalgia rather than authentic stories. Yet, when done right, they make for meaningful cinema; such is the case with “A Complete Unknown,” the new Bob Dylan biopic.
James Mangold (“Ford v Ferrari,” “Walk the Line”) creates something greater than a traditional rise-to-fame story. Instead of defining Dylan, the biopic embraces the mystery, serving as an homage to the artist’s unpredictable journey. The film prioritizes the full performances–resisting the urge to chop songs into bite-sized nostalgia pieces. The only way to understand Bob Dylan is to listen to his music unfiltered.
I initially questioned the casting of Timothee Chalamet but was won over– he may not capture him perfectly, but he embodies the attitude just right: a beautiful talent, but a flawed human being, and the occasional asshole streak. His performance recalls Oscar Issac’s performance as Dave Van Ronk in “Inside Llewyn Davis,” a dislikable folk artist in the Greenwich folk scene, yet while Van Ronk is trapped in a Sisyphean loop, Dylan is in motion, chasing a muse that never stays put, with notable characters supporting him, Pete Seeger (Ed Norton), Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning), Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro), and Johnny Cash (Boyd Halbrook).
Set in the early-to-mid 60s, the film follows Dylan’s transformation from a Woody Guthrie obsessed kid to a folk icon who shatters expectations by going electric. At its core, the movie is about what an artist should prioritize: should they cater to others or follow their inner muse?
“A Complete Unknown” isn’t just about Bob Dylan– it’s about artistic expression. Mangold rejects the curated “greatest hits” approach; he lets Dylan’s music speak for itself, letting the myth slip through your fingers like sand. And that’s what makes “A Complete Unknown” so compelling: it doesn’t try to catch him. It watches as he vanishes into the sea, leaving only his music behind.
Despite some minor biopic cliches, like unnecessary historical tie-ins, “A Complete Unknown” stands among the best films of 2024. Rating: 8/10
