¨I think people should just go see it and get lost in it¨ says actor Edward Norton, portraying Pete Saggler in “A Complete Unknown,” a biopic based on Bob Dylan’s career. Bob Dylan is regarded as one of the greatest musicians ever and has been admired across generations. There have been a whopping 21 movies about him, but none have fully captured the depth of his journey and excellent musical capabilities until now. ¨A Complete Unknown,¨ starring Timothée Chalamet immerses the audience on a journey surrounding Dylan’s fame and rise to success spanning various genres and decades.
Bob Dylan has had one of the longest-standing careers and is one of the best-selling artists ever. Many have tried to capture his essence on the big screen, but none have come close to how James Mongold portrayed him. In an interview with Variety, he said, “It was puzzling, how to make a movie about this particular fellow and that world. And my feeling was to just refuse to acknowledge this kind of enigma stuff. Like, just make the movie, let the events happen, and let the audience absorb what they want from it.” Mongold’s approach to the film helped shine a new light on Dylan and gave the viewer a more in-depth and personal perspective. His method truly showed a new concept of Dylan and worked everything known about him into one movie admirably.
Not only was his approach terrific, but so was the casting. Timothée Chalamet was a confusing pick for many who enjoyed Dylan’s music, however, he proved himself a great choice. He even did such a good job that Variety Senior Awards editor, Clayton Davis shared his thoughts saying, “Timothée Chalamet slides into Bob Dylan with an effortless yet focused determination.” It’s clear through his performance that he was a perfect fit for the role, and goes to show even more how genius Mongold’s depiction of Dylan is.
Although Chalamet did fantastic, there was a lot of preparation that he had to put into this role to achieve success. He first was offered the role in 2018 but due to Covid setbacks and the writer’s strike had five years to prepare for the role. Additionally, He had to work with a vocal coach, guitar teacher, dialect coach, movement coach, and harmonica guy to gain understanding and talent in each area.
In an interview with RollingStone, he said “I had to push the preparation, the bounds, almost to psychologically know I had pushed it.” He even went as far as to deny any visitors on set, including family, and insisted on being referred to as “Bob Dylan,” as stated by the Guardian. The sheer amount of work and commitment Chalamet put in to prepare for this role shows just how complex Dylan is to play, but despite the challenges, his hard work paid off significantly. In the box office, the movie made almost 12 million domestically and about 43 million worldwide, shown through Box Office Mojo. Not only did it do well in the box office, but viewers also had good things to say online and gave the movie a 96 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
As someone who was not all that familiar with Dylan’s music, I enjoyed the movie far more than I would’ve guessed. The way the story was depicted felt as if you were experiencing all the emotions Dylan felt, and it allowed for the viewer to understand his greatness. The prior movies made about Dylan all had a unique element to them, but this one stood out in many ways. Mongold´s direction, compiled with Chalamets acting skills and enthusiasm, made this movie unique; while also allowing for fans to connect with the Dylan they are familiar with like never before.
As a whole, I believe that for someone who is not familiar with Dylan’s background, this film is a great way to gain an understanding of his character and journey on a personal level. The dedication and consideration put into every detail and aspect of the movie is what makes it so great because you can feel yourself getting lost in it. Although Chalamet is such a familiar face in Hollywood, it did not feel like he was simply portraying Dylan, but rather embodying him to the fullest extent. By the time the movie ended, I was pleased with the experience and truly felt that the film did Dylan justice. Overall, I would give the movie a 4/4, and hope Dylan feels the same!
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