REVIEW: ‘A Complete Unknown’—a musical triumph on the big screen

By Jace DeMarco

If someone asked you to name a musical act that changed rock and roll in the 1960s other than The Beatles, Bob Dylan may come to mind. His impact is indelible—he inspired hundreds of artists to follow in his footsteps because of his socially conscious lyrics and innocent yet enthralling voice. Halloween marked the new release of Through the Open Window, a set of bootleg tracks from the years before and during Dylan’s rapid rise to become the star of the folk scene. This news may remind fans of James Mangold’s acclaimed biopic A Complete Unknown, a silver-screen depiction of Dylan’s early days, starring Timothée Chalamet, based on the true story Dylan Goes Electric by Elijah Wald. This 141-minute chronicle captivates viewers through its characters, utilization of Dylan’s music, and attention to detail in the production design, no matter how much of a fan they may be of Dylan or Chalamet.

A tumultuous trek to the top

A Complete Unknown follows the growth of Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet) as a musician and a person from 1961 until 1965. He enters a relationship with Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning), who quickly becomes a muse to Dylan and encourages him to play at small clubs and record his music. Before long, he becomes the main superstar of the revived folk music scene, as acoustic songs like “Blowin’ in the Wind” capture the hearts of thousands across America. As Dylan develops a musical persona influenced by the then-disorderly nature of society, he crosses paths and eventually enters a torrid affair with established female folk performer Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro).

Years later, Dylan and Baez’s duet of “It Ain’t Me Babe” at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival publicly reveals their intimacy and causes Russo, whom Dylan invited to attend, to realize she must leave him. Afterward, Dylan defies the norms of acoustic folk music and performs a set with his electric guitar to the disdain of his loyal audience. This performance triggers a crowd riot and prompts event staff to cut the sound to preserve his reputation. With this performance, Dylan puts his era of folk music behind him and creates a new age of electric folk rock. The film ends with Dylan riding off on his motorcycle in pursuit of the next steps of his career.

Chalamet—more than a carbon copy

The shining aspect of this film is, easily, the portrayal of the enigmatic character of Bob Dylan. Chalamet effortlessly channels the traits that fans of the folk icon have come to recognize, from his mysterious, poetic, unrevealing side as a teenager to his hard-headed, rebellious, manipulative side as he begins to find himself in the industry. Chalamet’s creative genius allows him to convey his character development from a teen who shows gentleness and civility to his musician friends and love interests, into a man whose unruly attitude defines his need for change and freedom from the norms of the audiences and executives he plays for.

Chalamet perfectly harnesses the tension between Dylan and his supporting characters, which is often uncomfortable yet electrifying to watch. He convinces viewers that Dylan is a man on a mission to transform folk music into folk rock, even at the cost of his relationships. Chalamet beautifully conveys Dylan’s personality and his greater loyalty to his musical career than to his biggest supporters.

Chalamet’s acting creates authentic chemistry between his, Fanning’s, and Barbaro’s characters—fiery with Joan Baez, and bittersweet yet a little bland with Sylvie Russo. While the dynamics are evident with the former relationship, the synergy in the latter is the one area where the acting from both parties could have been more developed to create cohesion between their different personalities and life goals. In all other aspects, his performance is nonetheless brilliant.

Musical virtuosity for crucial moments

If there is anything about Chalamet’s Dylan that deserves special recognition, it is his ability to perform the folk icon’s songs. Instead of using original studio recordings or lip-syncing, Chalamet literally becomes Dylan in all musical aspects. He not only emulates his calm yet powerful timbre to a tee, but also supplies the iconic guitar melodies and harmonica solos that made him such an important musician. His performance reaches a level where the viewer could close their eyes and believe Dylan is singing, only to realize they are hearing a tonal replica by an A-list actor who had five years of musical experience to prepare for the renowned lead role.

Because the score is mainly composed of masterful performances of songs from Dylan’s early discography, their purpose in effectively narrating his career becomes the crucial factor. “Song for Woody“ is not just a symbol of Dylan’s affection for his idol Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy)—it sets the tone for the entire plot early on and establishes the sickly folk legend as his main inspiration to become a musician. “Blowin’ in the Wind“ is performed twice, the first time on a separate visit to Guthrie, and the second at Dylan’s home with Baez present. She is beyond impressed, and the piece becomes their first on-screen duet, creating the basis for their turbulent yet musical relationship that culminates in their memorable performance of “It Ain’t Me, Babe“ at the Newport Folk Festival.

When it comes to Dylan’s relationship with his audience, director James Mangold flawlessly represents how his even his biggest fans transform from singing along to every word of his acoustic, poetic masterpieces, to vehemently booing and sparking riots years later when Dylan performs his headline electric set at Newport. Placing the climax near the end of the film is as strange as electric sound pouring out of amplifiers at an acoustic festival, but it brilliantly works.

An immersive trip through the ’60s

The film takes place in the early ’60s, a time when the aesthetic was simple and organic, and modern technology like cell phones and electric vehicles was non-existent. Production designer François Audouy successfully whisks present-day audiences to 1960s New York, when classic Chevrolets and Cadillacs lined city streets. As viewers venture inside apartment buildings, bars, and recording studios, they experience an accurate portrayal of the time, as seen through the most intricate details, including dated appliances, furniture, plumbing, vintage recording equipment, and other aspects that personified the decade.

Audouy clearly spent a great deal of time planning the recreation of key locations like Guthrie’s hospital, Columbia Records, and the Newport Folk Festival venue to a tee. To longtime fans, it is shocking how precise Audouy is in replicating the look of the society they grew up in, with smoke-filled rooms, dim spotlights, and all. These design aspects immerse audiences, taking them to where Dylan recorded and performed some of his most famous—and infamous—songs in an absolutely immaculate trip through the past.

Arianne Phillips’ costume design is as authentic to the time period as Audouy’s set design. Philips brilliantly portrays ’60s fashion with items like fedoras, floral prints, velvet jackets, and hippie clothes. Chalamet rocks Dylan’s clothing with as much spirit as he does his music, portraying his change from the rural business look of a newsboy hat, plaid jacket, and dungarees in his early years, to his recalcitrant style of unkempt hair, dark shades, a leather blazer, and tight-fitting jeans in 1965. Through Audouy and Phillips’ collaboration, these environments show a believable visual expedition through the culture and music scene of the ’60s and engage viewers of all generations.

A Complete Unknown is a visually and musically captivating timepiece that follows the rise of the legendary Bob Dylan. Chalamet’s portrayal of Dylan’s personality and musical prowess is one for the ages, and it absolutely deserves the Oscar nomination he received for Best Actor. He did not just act; he became Dylan. You do not have to be a fan of folk music to appreciate A Complete Unknown. You may question whether it is worth a view—to paraphrase Dylan, “the answer of ‘absolutely’, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind”.

FINAL VERDICT: 9/10