A Complete Unknown
Let’s face it. You could pull ten people off the street and ask them what they think of folk music, and maybe ONE of them would say they enjoy it. BUT they’ve likely all heard of Bob Dylan, whether they’ve actually listened to him or not. Therein lies the crux of A Complete Unknown: how a person with talent beyond explanation came out of nowhere and changed music forever, yet still remains an enigma to this day.
A Complete Unknown isn’t the rise and fall of an icon, nor is it interested in chronicling where said icon came from or what inspired them. Instead, it sets out to answer the question: can you ever escape the box other people have placed you in? Alternatively: what makes folk music folk music™? Is it simply a voice and guitar? Does the voice’s owner have to have an interesting past? Should they have something to say?
Despite the all-star cast and crew attached to the film, the announcement was mostly met with a unified groan. Another music biopic? Starring Timothy Chalamet in his thirtieth starring role this year? There’s no denying his talent, but could he ever truly transform into Dylan? Once the trailer dropped, our suspicions were all but confirmed: he could not. Nevertheless, those two minutes of footage also revealed another thing: James Mangold still had his cinematic eye, despite his work on the drab, CGI-infested, painfully misguided disappointment that was Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Now that the film is out, both remain true. Chalamet doesn’t become Bob Dylan. Mangold makes a movie that looks like a movie. In an era of music biopics that feel like Saturday Night Live sketches, this is a blessing. Chalamet doesn’t put on an overexaggerated Dylan impression nor does he remain Timothy Chalamet. He’s a blank slate with an accent, even going so far as to remain emotionless in moments any normal person would burst out screaming. That’s not to say this performance is flat, but rather, devoid of satisfaction. The script subverts expectations by not telling us every thought going through Dylan’s head, a tendency of which has become all too common in recent studio films. Dylan stays a mystery, much to the chagrin of his loved ones within the film and viewers looking to get to know him better. But a person can never truly be known in 140 minutes, especially not one as complex as Bob Dylan.
Regardless of how you feel about the characterization or the performance itself, the visuals and music should be enough to please dads all across America. The costumes and set design perfectly emulate the era; however, it’s not until you witness the musical performances that you truly feel transported back in time. This is where the genius of casting Timothee Chalamet comes into play. Bob Dylan is attributed with bringing Folk to the mainstream, widening the fanbase’s age demographic by a significant margin. Cut to 40 years later, and it’s no question the genre has fallen out of favor with most young people. Well, who better to introduce it to them than their favorite movie star?
I can’t deny that even I, someone who casually enjoys Folk music (i.e. bought Highway 61 Revisited on vinyl in college), finally felt something listening to it. I’m a firm believer that music doesn’t always have to click on first listen to be good, but, as embarrassing as it is to admit, I only ever gave the genre a few shakes before zipping my pants back up and flushing. Perhaps it was my age or lack of meaningful life experiences- a variety of factors can influence how you see art. A Complete Unknown happened to contain everything I needed to finally appreciate Folk music: beautiful imagery and sound colliding to create the perfect listening experience. The movie around it is a plus, even if it’s a little long and occasionally over-dramatic.
It also boasts great performances all around, including an unrecognizable Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash in one of the many Avengers-style musician cameos. Though their introductions are just as hokey as they are in the MCU, each one steals the show every time they’re on screen. The result is a journey, not just about a short time in the life of Bob Dylan, but of the history of Folk music itself.