When the lights went down in the theater I had absolutely no expectations for director James Mangold’s “A Complete Unknown,” but by the end Mangold and actor Timothée Chalamet delivered such a good film it left me wanting more. “A Complete Unknown” left me yearning for more emotionally stirring and grounded storytelling.
Somehow it hadn’t fully occurred to me before the film started that Chalamet was playing American singer-song writer Bob Dylan, but I was pleasantly surprised. Chalamet has been fairly prolific in the film world for the last few years, with varying levels to his performances. Not to insinuate that he is a bad actor, as he has had some great performances, but occasionally it seems as if he plays “himself” or similar characters. However, Chalamet really did a great job in “A Complete Unknown” capturing Dylan’s essence, adopting Dylan’s signature speech patterns and mannerisms. Chalamet captured the mumbling, slurred words, and socially awkwardness associated one might associate with a young Dylan. Chalamet also plays both the guitar and harmonica in the film which is also impressive.
“A Complete Unknown” was a good biopic primarily because the script seemed true to the source material. Although the film is a dramatization, and not entirely accurate, it did a good job of articulating Dylan’s rise to stardom. The writers did not hold back in regards to Dylan’s affairs or treatment of others. Dylan is not always presented as a “good” person throughout the film, which is part of what makes it so great. He cheats on his partners, has falling outs with his music idols, and ends the movie with a pretty large controversy. I thought this point was interesting considering Dylan himself has supported the film since the beginning, and encouraged its production, not shying away from being “exposed.” Dylan as a character feels very relatable in a grimy sort of way. Most people can resonate with the characters lack of direction and questionable decision making. All of the characters felt like they had depth, and really had some sort of impact on the film.
This movie also did a great job of respecting the audience, something I think lots of modern films struggle with. The movie did not spell everything out blatantly or give a ridiculous amount of context. Dylan just sort of appears out of a taxi cab in the beginning of the film, and as a viewer you have to interpret what that means from a narrative perspective. Dylan’s relationships throughout the film are complicated and the audience is left to decipher his decision making. I also appreciated the time frame of the movie, as it didn’t try to incorporate the entirety of Dylan’s life into a two-hour film, which inevitably results in a watering down of true events.
In a sense the film also felt kind of educational. I don’t think most people, especially not younger audiences, understand the impact that Dylan had on the evolution of rock and roll as a genre. It did a good job of capturing Dylan’s life from 1961 to 1965, from when he burst onto the folk scene and as he slowly grew into a more rock-centric musician. I found it very interesting and informative as a long-time, casual Dylan fan.
Honestly, my only gripe with the film was that Dylan’s music was very rarely played in its entirety. Of course the movie featured Dylan’s music throughout, but most of the time only bits and pieces were played. I’m sure this was a decision made intentionally, potentially to save on run-time, but key moments like the Newport Folk Festival concert scene could’ve used full song performances.
Ultimately, “A Complete Unknown” was a very entertaining film that felt well directed and acted. It was extremely emotionally engaging, well paced, and interesting. I would definitely suggest watching the film.
