A Complete Unknown (2024, James Mangold)

 

A Complete Unknown chronicles Bob Dylan's life from 1961 to 1965, the years that witnessed his meteoric rise to becoming one of the most influential songwriters of all time. Starring a dedicated Timothee Chalamet who disappears into the role of young Dylan. James Mangold's direction stays within the confines of conventional music biopics, the approach mirrors his 2005 Johnny Cash film Walk the Line: extended set pieces of live music, relationship drama, and historical verisimilitude. Dylan fans will single out some inaccuracies and creative choices, while many may find the format moribund, the film makes use of rich material and hits the right dramatic beats. 

The film begins with Dylan arriving in Greenwich Village, the heart of the early '60s folk movement that was galvanizing young people. Bob goes to visit his hero Woody Guthrie (Scott McNairy) who by 1961 was confined to a Sanatorium. Dylan also meets folk singer Peter Seeger (Edward Norton), elder statesman of the folk movement who helps Dylan and tries to be a mentor. 

Dylan quickly gets a contract with Columbia Records, and while his debut LP flopped, the second album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan instantly made him famous with iconic songs like "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right." He begins a tempestuous relationship with Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) who was already established as a folk singer, and is on and off with artist and activist "Sylvie" played by Elle Fanning (based on Suze Rotolo). As Dylan's fame and influence begin to dwarf everyone around him, he sees no other choice but to go his own way, culminating with his legendary "going electric" appearance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.   

Setting up Pete Seeger as Dylan's antagonist brings the best dramatic tension. Norton plays Seeger as a purist dedicated to social justice and tries to wean Dylan away from rock music. In a stirring moment, Dylan performs "The Times They-Are-a-Changin" before an audience for the first time, moving them to tears as Seeger beams with pride. The song captures the Kennedy era of hope, best expressed by the March on Washington where Dylan and Baez performed. In time, Dylan became alienated with the folk scene and its insistence on artistic purity. 

The script settles on depicting Dylan as a cipher, always charming and baffling those around him. There's no attempt at a Citizen Kane type investigation of what drove him. He's emotionally distant from Joan and Sylvie, views Seeger with an admiration that turns into contempt, and scoffs at his adoring fans. He finds a kinship with Johnny Cash (Boyd Holbrook), they meet each other on the same level. Even at the height of his artistic triumphs, Dylan himself remains ambivalent about the nature of fame and art. 

Many may find it a folly to portray Dylan's life during the 1960s, especially by taking the traditional approach. Countless books have been written on the era, No Direction Home: The Life and Music of Bob Dylan by Robert Shelton is the best on the early years or Positively Fourth Street: The Lives and Times of Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Mimi Baez Farina, and Richard Farina by David Hajdu is also revealing, while Dylan Goes Electric by Elijah Wald provided source material for the film. Martin Scorsese's documentary No Direction Home is an essential watch and excellent companion to A Complete Unknown. 

In terms of films about Dylan, the most creative and ambitious attempt to understand Dylan was the Todd Haynes film from 2007 I'm Not There, in which six actors were cast to play Dylan, each symbolizing his different incarnations. Haynes even inserted scenes from a fake Hollywood biopic entitled Grain of Sand, in which a fictional Dylan played by Heath Ledger laments being the "voice of his generation." The 2014 Coen Brothers film Inside Llewyn Davis provides a jaundiced view of the folk scene with its abrasive protagonist played by Oscar Isaac.

A Complete Unknown will serve as a great introduction to anyone interested in Dylan and his music, and the film is at its best when focused on the music. Chalamet's steady performance carries the film and channeling Dylan's prickly and ever changing persona.

***1/2