REVIEW: A Complete Unknown (2024)
Review By Liam Herschall — NewsTime News
In A Complete Unknown, director James Mangold crafts a rich and evocative portrait of Bob Dylan, capturing the mystery and brilliance of one of music’s most iconic figures. Timothée Chalamet’s performance is transformative, embodying Dylan’s charisma, aloofness, and genius in a way that feels both authentic and revelatory. The film’s narrative weaves together pivotal moments in Dylan’s life with a thoughtful examination of his artistic evolution, set to a soundtrack that reminds us why he remains a towering cultural force. But as much as I admired the film’s craft and storytelling, I left the theater with a deep and bitter fear: this movie will make far too many people like Bob Dylan’s music, and I will no longer be able to feel superior to them because of my niche, hard-earned appreciation for his work.
Chalamet is stunning in his portrayal, fully committing to Dylan’s idiosyncratic mannerisms and enigmatic personality. The film artfully reconstructs legendary moments, from his folk scene ascension to his electric rebirth, giving fans a treasure trove of Easter eggs. And that’s exactly the problem. The Easter eggs. There are too many, and they are too good. Do you know how long it took me to memorize Blonde on Blonde lyrics so I could smugly quote them at parties where no one else could tell if I was being insightful or insufferable? Years. YEARS. But now, with this movie, someone who thought Dylan was “that harmonica guy” just last week will be leaning over at brunch to inform me that “Visions of Johanna” is a haunting exploration of artistic disconnection. Haunting exploration of artistic disconnection? That’s myline!
As a film, A Complete Unknown excels in nearly every aspect. The performances are universally excellent, the cinematography striking, and the script thoughtfully nuanced. Yet, I couldn’t shake the creeping dread that the floodgates are about to open. Imagine: someone who couldn’t differentiate between The Times They Are a-Changin’ and Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 will soon be discussing Dylan’s evolving relationship with fame. I’ve spent years cultivating my identity as a Dylan aficionado, and now, after two and a half hours in a theater, Karen from accounting will think she’s on my level?
By the film’s midpoint, I found myself no longer engrossed in the story but frantically imagining the social fallout. What happens when someone casually drops a deep cut like “Motorpsycho Nitemare” in conversation? What happens when they correctly identify it as satire? Am I supposed to just sit there and nod, as if they didn’t Google that in the parking lot of the multiplex? I can’t even take refuge in Dylan’s more obscure works, because I know, I know this movie will spawn a YouTube documentary titled “The Top 10 Hidden Dylan Gems You Missed.” They’re not hidden anymore, Brad, and I have nowhere to hide either.
I’ll admit, the film’s depiction of Dylan’s transition from folk hero to rock icon is breathtaking. The Highway 61 Revisitedsequences alone are worth the price of admission. But as I sat there, marveling at Mangold’s meticulous recreation of Dylan’s infamous Newport performance, I couldn’t help but glance around the theater. These people—these newbies—were into it. I saw them tapping their feet, nodding knowingly as if they had been booing him in 1965 themselves. I wanted to stand up and shout, “You didn’t earn this! You don’t even know what song he’s playing!”
In conclusion, A Complete Unknown is a triumph of filmmaking and a must-watch for anyone remotely interested in music history. It is also the beginning of the end for my long, self-satisfied reign as a Bob Dylan connoisseur. I can no longer lord my superior knowledge over others, and for that, this otherwise extraordinary film gets docked half a star. Mangold, you’ve given the masses a gift they didn’t deserve.
Rating: 3.5 stars (out of 4) and an existential crisis about my place in the Dylanverse.