James Mangold—director of “Girl, Interrupted” and “Logan”— strikes again with “A Complete Unknown.” This musical biopic follows the beginnings of singer Bob Dylan and his rise to fame, highlighting the heartbreak, tragedy, and hardship he faced during this time in his life.
The film’s greatest strength comes down to the stunning cast. Timothée Chalamet perfectly captures the intelligence and vulnerability of Bob Dylan, displaying the far more personal aspects of his life. Monica Barbaro, who plays Joan Baez, puts soul into her character and makes watchers feel a tenderness for her story. Elle Fanning depicts Sylvie Russo, and while she may be a fictional character, Sylvie is based off of Suze Rotolo. Fanning delivers an amazingly beautiful performance, allowing the audience to feel the affection and love she has to offer the world.
Despite the stellar casting, there are some issues with the way characters were depicted. Although each actor did a fantastic job, and it is evident that they are passionate about their role, the director’s choice of not including some important aspects of the character's lives was a poor choice. As said before, Barbaros version of Joan Baez was incredible, but the scriptwriter left out important aspects of her personality and who she was, which would’ve really helped sell the story. Joan Baez’s wit and intelligence was often left out, and her activism during the ‘60s was never mentioned. She was mostly reduced to a pretty face, and someone who was only there to support Bob Dylan. Sylvie Russo in the movie was timid, which was not the case for Rotolo. In fact, Roloto was a passionate activist who had a fiery personality; none of this happened in the film. For a film that is both equally focused on Bob Dylan and the women in his life during this time, it falls short of being an accurate portrayal of them.
In recent years, the term “musical” placed onto a movie tends to cause worry for me—more often than not songs are out of place and serve no true purpose to the film. Yet this is not the case for “A Complete Unknown”. Chalamet’s only musical performance was “Wonka” (2023) prior to the movie, so my expectations for a heartfelt rendition of Bob Dylan's art were low. Despite my worries, Chalamet and Barbaro deliver a charming rendition of “It Ain’t Me, Babe” among other songs that Bob Dylanproduced throughout his life. The score for this film was carefully crafted to tell the story, and at no point did any of the music feel unneeded.
Chalamet proves himself yet again as an actor, adding another accomplished film onto his list, and consistently shows that his passion is what fuels his career. Although the movie falls short in some aspects, it is still an enjoyable film, earning it a solid 9/10 in my book. “A Complete Unknown” is an unbelievably refreshing watch that will afflict the hearts of many, whether you’re a Dylan fan or not.
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