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While biopics are the latest mediocre trend in Hollywood, “A Complete Unknown” breaks the mold. Though music biopics like “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Elvis” are meticulously designed to court Oscar buzz, “A Complete Unknown” does the legendary Bob Dylan justice with its exceptional directing and performances.

Adapted from Elijah Wald’s “Dylan Goes Electric!: Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties,” the film dives into Bob Dylan’s (Timothée Chalamet) early years before he flourished into one of the greatest songwriters of all time, navigating his life, relationships and career during a pivotal time in American history.

Closely following his recent standout roles as an eccentric chocolatier and a desert messiah, “A Complete Unknown” is Chalamet’s best performance yet in his short but versatile career, and it’s worthy of winning his first Oscar.

The film starts in 1961, as 19-year-old Dylan, accompanied with only his guitar, arrives at New York City’s folk music scene in Greenwich Village. Dylan makes the journey to visit his idol, Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy), who suffers from Huntington’s disease. At the hospital, Dylan sees folk singer Pete Seeger (Edward Norton) with Guthrie and joins the two men. When Guthrie requests Dylan to sing, Seeger witnesses his bright talent and takes Dylan under his wing.

Chalamet’s dedication to the character is evident. Strapped with a guitar on his side and a harmonica on his lips, Chalamet sounds eerily similar to the real Dylan as he hits the raw and raspy tones of Dylan’s unique voice and, at times indiscernible, mumble. Without audio mixing, Chalamet blurs the lines between Dylan’s voice and his own – a spectacular demonstration of talent from the actor.

Like Chalamet, Monica Barbaro’s performance as Joan Baez captures the same sweetness and passion of Baez while adding a slight modern cadence to her musicality. Though it isn’t as exact as Chalamet’s Dylan, Barbaro’s Baez is still impressive as she pays homage to the singer.

Baez is one of two central figures shaping Dylan’s career when he bursts into the folk scene. Baez, who was already successful, uses her stardom to help launch Dylan’s career as the two embark on tour. Even though Dylan and Baez start to fall for each other, his elusive and complex nature make personal relationships difficult.

While Baez helped showcase Dylan’s talent, it was his first love, Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning), who inspired him to become more politically active with his songwriting. Dylan and Russo have few romantic scenes, leaving their relationship feeling incomplete. The relationship boils down to a date at a Chinese restaurant and a mere kiss on the cheek.

When Russo leaves for a trip to Europe, Dylan cheats on her with Baez. Baez and Dylan share deeper intimate moments and chemistry. He carries on both relationships simultaneously, which Russo doesn’t realize until she sees the pair perform “It Ain’t Me, Babe” live. Russo leaves in tears.

Though Dylan and Russo’s relationship ended unsatisfactorily, the rest of the film excelled thanks to James Mangold’s excellent directing, particularly in his refusal to excuse Dylan’s arrogant persona or defend his behavior.

Led by Chalamet, the stunning cast creates an immersive 1960s experience. Both Russo and Baez’s gentleness compliments Dylan’s difficult attitude, bringing out some vulnerability in Dylan. Seeger’s lovable wittiness endears him to the audience, even when his traditional folk values conflict with Dylan’s gradual transition into rock.

Dylan disregards anyone who restricts him to one genre. In one scene, Dylan refuses to stick to the setlist and leaves Baez high and dry in front of a large audience. Then, at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, Dylan “goes electric” and pivots to rock by debuting three new songs with a backing band. His lack of respect for authority is most blatant here. Despite the audience’s boos, he ignores everyone who protests against this new direction, including his mentor Seeger.

As opposed to films where the main character is the hero, Mangold doesn’t shy away from the fact that Dylan is a complex man with complicated relationships. And while there’s no denying that Dylan is talented, Mangold reminds the audience that behind closed doors, Dylan was a different man — not always a poet.

Rather than jarringly mixing in songs, Mangold weaves in Dylan’s hits during transitional moments. For example, the moving performance of “The Times They Are A-Changin’,’” where the audience sings along to Dylan’s debut song as Russo wipes tears, knowing Dylan is moving apart from her. There are also scenes when he withdraws himself from the company of Baez and Russo to write songs, exemplifying his inability to form significant relationships. By pairing the songs with these scenes, Mangold creates a meaningful background to Dylan’s poetic lyrics that strikes an emotional chord.

In musical biopics, the subject’s life story is often diluted with their hit songs and lackluster character development. Mangold’s direction and the cast’s performances preserve Dylan’s early “unknown” career, holding the film to its title. With award season drawing near, “A Complete Unknown” is a late contender sure to ring up several Oscar nominations.

Published on January 5, 2025 at 9:48 pm