A Complete Unknown (2024) (1 Viewer)

Had some free time, decided to venture out to the mall on XMas eve to my local AMC theater to use my A-List subscription, and took in a viewing of "A Complete Unknown". Was kinda dreading the nearly 2.5 hour running time, but the pacing is fairly nice, never once thought the movie was dragging along as it moves through the film's plot points. The movie lives up to the title, you don't get much background on Bob Dylan's life before the early 1960s, but the film bounces around the early 1960s, hitting some early highlights of Dylan's musical journey. While I don't have any Dylan in my music library (pretty small collection anyhow), in college, there was one room in the hall who was always playing Dylan, so through just daily osmosis of being exposed to Dylan, I was familiar with his songs/music output.

Chalamet's portrayal gains more confidence as Dylan himself finds himself through his early beginnings in folk music and navigating through other genres and historical events happening during that time period. The direction by Mangold is good, the script / concluding plotline is a bit of a weak point, but overall, still an enjoyable biopic embracing the title's promise. Heh.

[Tino]

I am not a Bob Dylan fan at all. Would I enjoy this film regardless?

I’m sure it will be nominated for BP and I’ll be obligated to see it for completions sake.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I feel in many ways that this movie was made more for you, the non-fan, than it was for me, the longtime fan.

The film is more about the people Dylan encounters on his way to fame, and what it was like for them to welcome him into their movement only to see him eclipse it.

It’s about how the folk movement saw Dylan as being their hero and savior and prophet, roles Dylan was never interested in fulfilling, and how the movement came undone when Dylan’s music grew beyond the rigid frameworks they insisted he stay within.

You won’t really learn a lot about Dylan as a person by seeing the film but you’ll learn a lot about the people who hitched themselves to his wagon only to be dismayed at the direction it was heading in.

The film does an amazing job of recreating that era and I think it does a great job of showing what the folk movement was about - both good and bad - and showing why Dylan was going to outgrow it. If you’re looking for a movie that’s going to explain Bob Dylan and make you fall in love with his music for the first time, this ain’t that movie. But if you want a movie that shows the scene in which Dylan first became famous and helps explain why he didn’t see himself as part of that movement, this movie does that well.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I am not a Bob Dylan fan at all. Would I enjoy this film regardless?

If you are not a fan because you actively dislike Dylan's music, then you probably won't like it.

If you are not a fan because it's just not the type of music you typically listen to, but you don't mind it, then you will probably like it. I recognize and respect Dylan's bigger songs if I hear them on the radio. I knew some of the songs in the movie, and they were well sung. But I don't have a personal attachment to him that would make me a big fan.

I liked the movie and thought it was worth seeing. But I wouldn't put it in Best Picture contention if I had a vote.

 

[Tino]

Thanks @Josh Steinberg and @Jake Lipson

 

[Jake Lipson]

I just found this on YouTube. It appears to be a FYC type featurette, but it's pretty good.

I’m sure it will be nominated for BP and I’ll be obligated to see it for completions sake.

It seems The Brutalist will be nominated for Best Picture and you hated that. So I'll add that A Complete Unknown is much better than your description of The Brutalist.

I no longer feel the need to see any given movie just because the Academy nominates it for Best Picture. I just go to the ones that interest me and leave it there. It has been several years since I've been an Oscars completist. But I don't think you'll have a problem with this film. I think A Complete Unknown is worthwhile viewing regardless of its award season status.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

I am not a Bob Dylan fan at all. Would I enjoy this film regardless?

I’m sure it will be nominated for BP and I’ll be obligated to see it for completions sake.

Agree w/ Josh and Jake in general.

I too was not a Dylan fan at all and had barely given his music much of any try in the past (though had definitely become very curious about him, his music and fandom/following), but this movie did introduce me quite well to his music, etc -- at least the earlier stuff anyway -- which is growing on me...

I don't know about putting it on my top 10 list for 2025, but maybe honorable mention just outside top 10 I guess. Certainly worth seeing at least the once methinks. I might try seeing it again in theaters before it's gone, IF I can squeeze it into my schedule...

And I don't always like Chalamet's work, but this might be some of his best, if not actually his best...

_Man_

 

[TravisR]

I too was not a Dylan fan at all and had barely given his music much of any try in the past (though had definitely become very curious about him, his music and fandom/following), but this movie did introduce me quite well to his music, etc -- at least the earlier stuff anyway -- which is growing on me...

It's been nice seeing my record store regularly get tons of copies of Dylan's 1960's albums over the last couple months.

 

[Tino]

Just got out of an IMAX showing and really enjoyed this film

As I said I’m not a Dylan fan but this film has peaked my interest and I’m going to check out his music.

Standard but entertaining bio pic with great performances by Chalemet, Norton, Fanning and Barbaro.

 

[Jake Lipson]

‘A Complete Unknown’s Monica Barbaro On Finally Meeting The “Thoughtful And Wonderful” Joan Baez And A Sweet Moment With Ariana Grande

Monica Barbaro Finally Met The “Thoughtful And Wonderful” Joan Baez And Had A Sisterhood Moment With Ariana Grande

deadline.com

And, from the movie's Facebook page, here's a photo of Monica Barbaro with the real Joan Baez.

 

[JoeStemmex]

Now on Hulu.
My full take:


A COMPLETE UNKNOWN (2024) Hulu. James Mangold delivers good vibes with A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. Vibrations are important in any music bio-pic, but doubly so when the subject is Bob Dylan who's life and career has been so thoroughly documented and (some would say, including Dylan himself) over-analyzed. The script is based on Elijah Wald's book Dylan Goes Electric!

Mangold (and co-writer Jay Cocks) smartly focus on Dylan's rise in the early to mid-60s. They set the folk music backdrop pretty well positing Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy) as the movement's spiritual grandfather, Pete Seeger (an excellent Edward Norton) as the father and Dylan (Timothy Chalamet) as the prodigal son. It's a bit contrived, but works for the purpose here. Some of the signposts (the JFK assassination, the Cuban Missile Crisis etc.) are a bit too on the nose. Dylan's rocky relationships with Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning; “Russo” being a pseudonym for Suze Rotolo – per Dylan's personal request) and, especially with cohort and collaborator Joan Baez (Monica Barbara, also very good) are decently depicted. Trying to decipher who Bob Dylan really is, presents more of an issue as his 'character' morphed many times over the decades beginning with dispatching his childhood as “Robert Zimmerman”. Dylan's statements are more questions than answers, seemingly in the process of creating riddles and mythology on a daily basis.

It's all about the music. The cast also includes Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash (who, in his way showed Dylan than one can crossover genres), and they all do a fine job of making it all look and feel authentic to the artists involved. There's a pop and spring to the performance sequences which energize the movie.

Even when they sound 'different' from the well known versions, one never questions their veracity. That's the irony here. Many film bios on musicians feel phony when the actors open their mouths and strum their instruments. A COMPLETE UNKNOWN is the opposite. The music is credible, it's the dialogue scenes where it's sometimes tone deaf. The actors are good, but the script is full of predictable cliches and platitudes, which also hampers Chalamet's otherwise solid performance. At times, one feels like exhorting: Shut up and play yer guitar! It's historically pretty accurate save for the most important scene – the climactic 1965 Newport Folk Festival – which is riddled with distortions. Rotolo/Russo wasn't there, and neither was Cash. The near riotous booing was minor compared to an earlier show in England. Seeger didn't really threaten to take an axe to the sound system etc. etc.. No, this isn't a documentary, but, as noted at the outset, this stuff is so well documented that Mangold simply strays too far. It's not a fatal blow, but it's still an unforced error.

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, wobbly script and all, is still a very enjoyable ride that captures the feeling of Dylan and the music world at the time with exceptional art direction and costuming. The actors should all take a bow for how well they studied and rehearsed their musical chops. Mangold deserves credit for selecting and help shape their performances. The vibe is solid.
A COMPLETE UNKOWN is currently streaming on Hulu and for rental.

 

[Walter Kittel]

First time viewing of A Complete Unknown today on Hulu.

I enjoyed the recreation of the period and the overall feeling of the film. My biggest take away from the film regarding Dylan was that this was an individual who had a very pronounced creative drive. We see many scenes of him working on new compositions, and based on the sheer volume of music presented in the film that feels like a safe assessment. ( The closest analogue that comes to mind is Jimi Hendrix. Anecdotally it is said that he was constantly playing his guitar to develop his skill and as a means of exploring new sounds and compositions. )

I thought the casting worked well and the lead and supporting performers all acquitted themselves well. Time capsule' films are something that I invariably enjoy and I felt like the costuming and production design did a good job of transporting me back to the early '60s. I probably could have done with fewer of the contemporary events of the day injecting themselves into the narrative, but I understand that they were there to present a period of some turmoil. ( I guess impending nuclear destruction will make one set aside normal considerations when dating. )

Musically it was strong. I am no expert on Bob Dylan but I did recognized a fair amount of the material. Of course, the film featured quite a few of his more notable compositions. I appreciated that the actors actually sang their material and felt like this added to the overall aesthetic of the film. Having the artists commit to learning the material and putting in the time to perform credibly went a long way in my enjoyment of this feature.

I consider James Mangold one of the better contemporary directors working and I was not disappointed by his efforts. The overall pace and editing of the film did a good job of maintaining my interest.

This was a very enjoyable docudrama, and something that I will revisit again in the future.

- Walter.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

‘A Complete Unknown’s Monica Barbaro On Finally Meeting The “Thoughtful And Wonderful” Joan Baez And A Sweet Moment With Ariana Grande

Monica Barbaro Finally Met The “Thoughtful And Wonderful” Joan Baez And Had A Sisterhood Moment With Ariana Grande

deadline.com

And, from the movie's Facebook page, here's a photo of Monica Barbaro with the real Joan Baez.

View attachment 245211

Barbaro has got her on height, weight, and reach but Baez has a killer left hook. Just look at her left hand she is ready to throw! I think she KOs Barbaro within 3 rounds.