Bob Dylan is a name forever ingrained in the history of music, but now, over a half-century since he showed the world that one man and his guitar could make the world shake, the artist’s legacy could just as easily be blowin’ in the wind. James Mangold’s 2024 film adaptation of Dylan’s career, A Complete Unknown, strives to illustrate the artist’s impact to a new generation and does just that.
A Complete Unknown follows Bob Dylan’s (Timothée Chalamet) journey from minor folk musician to rock trailblazer from his first arrival in New York City in 1961 to his revolutionary set at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. The film develops Dylan by focusing on the relationships that defined him, from his mentor Pete Seeger (Edward Norton) to fellow folk icon Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro).
While many recent biopics focusing on the lives of music’s biggest names, such as One Love (2024) and Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), do fantastic jobs of depicting their subjects as human beings, they fall short of showcasing the work that got them on the silver screen in the first place. A Complete Unknown does an excellent job of giving Dylan’s story the attention it deserves while still allowing his music to shine, providing many songs that once defined a cultural movement with much-needed context, reigniting the flame they once held.
A career performance from Timothée Chalamet perfectly encapsulates the essence of Bob Dylan, from his look to his cynical attitude. Chalamet spent over five years preparing for the role, and it paid off. While nobody can capture Dylan’s voice, Chalamet makes a valiant effort, and the film gives him ample space to shine. Many of the film’s best moments occur when Chalamet is alone on stage, letting the audience focus on the lyrics and getting a glimpse into Dylan’s mind.
Performances by Edward Norton and Monica Barbaro complement Chalament by showcasing his progression as an artist. Norton portrays Pete Seeger, Dylan’s mentor and one of the most influential figures in the folk movement; his performance almost outshines Chalamet in terms of memorability and emphasizes Seeger’s warm, caring soul that helped shape a moment in American history.
Similarly, Barbaro’s performance faithfully represents a folk legend, while her acting is impressive, and Barbaro truly shines in her singing. Joan Baez has one of the most legendary voices in music history, and Barbaro gives her all to match it. While Chalamet’s singing is impressive, it does not hold a candle to Barbaro’s; her voice commands every scene it inhabits. The performance is a significant step for the actor and likely a surprise to many filmgoers, who likely only recognize the actress from her minor role in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick.
While a strong supporting cast helps build two of the film’s most memorable characters, the film does fall short at developing other minor characters. The most glaring example of this comes from Boyd Holbrook’s portrayal of country legend Johnny Cash. The character and his relationship with Dylan feels like an afterthought, added only as fan service. The character feels chronically underutilized and often comes off as more of a caricature of Cash than a complete person. The issue is bizarre as James Mangold directed the critically acclaimed Walk the Line (2005) biopic focusing on Cash’s career yet failed to flesh him out in this depiction.
A Complete Unknown was released on Christmas Day, 2024, to relatively positive reviews. It received a Rotten Tomatoes score of 79% and an IMDb rating of 7.8/10. Both Chalamet and Norton received Golden Globe Nominations for Best Performance in a Leading Role and Best Performance in a Supporting Role, respectively.