A Complete Unknown: A Bob Dylan Story

A Review by Luke Beman

Throughout recent years, the film industry has seen great success in biopic films about the lives of musicians and their rise to fame. Some examples are Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman and Elvis, as well as older films such as The Doors and La Bamba. Recently released, A Complete Unknown sheds light on Bob Dylan’s life and his path to fame. With a cast featuring the talents of Timothée Chalamet (Dune, Wonka), Edward Norton (Fight Club, The French Dispatch), Elle Fanning (Maleficent, A Rainy Day in New York), and directed by James Wald, it perfectly captured the aesthetic of New York in the early 60s, with filmography similar to that of a concert cameraman. 

When it comes to acting as a historical figure, it can be hard for the actor, as they have to be able to effectively mimic their essence. In terms of playing Bob Dylan, Timothée Chalamet had a stunning transformation, matching his hair style and clothing throughout the years, as well as nailing the voice. He did the singing for over 40 songs in the movie. 

A Complete Unknown was a very entertaining film, and barely had any slow scenes during the entire 2 hour and 40 minutes. Unlike other musical biopics, a good chunk of the film was shown through the perspective of other characters, notably through the view of Woody Guthrie, Joan Biaz and Pete Seger.

When it comes to biopics, they always seem to have fictional scenes or events, written to make the story more interesting to the viewers, and A Complete Unknown was no exception, with one of the main plot points being completely fictional. However, the film was still quite enjoyable, one of my favorite films of the year, and a movie that I would definitely recommend to anyone that likes musical biopics. 

Before the film, I was never a real fan of Bob Dylan, but after seeing A Complete Unknown, I have grown to quite enjoy his music. 

Overall, I give A Complete Unknown a 9 out of 10.