Film Review: A Complete Unknown
Jun. 26th, 2025 12:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakAs far as musical biopics go, they tend to be more of a miss than a win in many cases, with the plus side that at least you, potential watcher, get to listen to some good music even if the script fails. There are exceptions, i.e. films where both the music is good and the film doesn’t feel like a visualized wikipedia entry, for example, Love & Mercy, which escapes the formula by picking two distinctly different and important eras of Brian Wilson’s life instead of his whole life, with 1960s Brian on the verge of creating his masterpiece and having a mental breakdown played by Paul Dano and 1980s Brian, in the power of a ruthless exploitative doctor but about to freed via encountering his second wife, by John Cusack. The performances are great, the different eras are poignantly commenting on each other, and even were Brian Wilson a fictional character, the film would be worth watching. If Love & Mercy wins for originality with the template, Walk the Line (about Johnny Cash) wins for doing the formula expertly, in fact so well it became endlessly copied and parodied thereafter. James Mangold, who directed Walk the Line to a lot of commercial and critical success back in the day, waited for near two decades before going near another musical biopic again, but he did last year, resulting in A Complete Unknown, starring Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan, which courtesy of the Mouse channel I have now watched.
Personal background first: I am not a Dylan expert. I absorbed a good deal of his songs by sheer inevitability of being born in 1969 and living with an open ear or two in the decades thereafter, but in terms of biography, what I know comes mostly from a Beatles angle (i.e. he famously introduced them to pot, in terms of musical challenge and inspiration he was to John what Brian Wilson was to Paul, George idolized him), or from a Joan Baez angle (i.e. Diamonds and Rust), and due to the use of All Along the Watchtower in Battlestar Galactica, I know he must be a Cylon. (Okay, first and last BSG joke in this entry.) All of which just to say: I have no particular beef invested in whether or not the presentation of Dylan and the rest of the cast adhers to biographical reality (as far as it can be ascertained), but am observing the film solely on its own plus some very vaguely related 1960s knowledge.
So: firstly, this is a movie that picks just a few years of its subject’s life, to wit, 1961 - 1965, from Dylan’s initial breakthrough in the folk music scene to him going electric. It notably avoids any and all childhood scenes or references - there is even a scene where Dylan when challenged by his girlfriend (Sylvie in the movie, played by Elle Fanning, and according to other reviews based on a woman named Suze in reality) denies not just his but anyone else’s background has any relevance - , or big “this is why X is the way they are” scenes. And in direct contrast to Mangold’s Johnny Cash picture, there’s no “there’s the first wife who doesn’t understand him or support him enough, here is the true soul mate” dichotomy with the two women the movie presents in romantic/sexual relationships with the lead; Sylvie is depicted as smart, politically engaged in the way Dylan is not, and supportive though not to the degree of self negation, hence is the one who calls it quits (both times), while Joan (Baez) who is already famous when they meet (as opposed to him) has terrific chemistry with Dylan, but the musical mixture of competition, admiration and resentment is precisely what ensures they won’t be permament, either.
What is similar to Walk the Line is Mangold managing to present a huge ensemble of other musicians around his leading man, deftly providing even the ones who only show up briefly with distinct personalities and the hints of their own stories unfolding as they flit in and out of his lead’s life. The film starts with young Bob visiting his hero Woody Guthrie (hospitalized, unable to speak but able to communicate nonetheless) and running into Pete Seeger on that occasion as well, and Seeger (played by Edward Norton) comes across as the nicest guy in the musical scene, almost, but only almost, too good to be true. (Almost because he clearly has the occasional non saintly annoyance triggered by Bob Dylan as the movie unfolds.) (And good for Mangold to build in a reminder to the general audience that “This land is your land” is a protest song via Pete quoting it at his HUAC hearing.) Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez is phenomenal, both the acting and the singing, and I especially appreciate that the movie went for something more complicated than “he done her wrong”; she and Dylan come across as both very attracted to each other and seeing what the other musically could do for them from the start (in his case, popularize his songs when he’s not yet well known, in her case, while she has already started to compose herself, she also as a singer is always on the lookout for really good new material). They see each other a little too clearly for comfort throughout and that takes turns from being attractive to being repellent and back for them. Ambitious for themselves female musicians in the movies are still a rarity, and I really liked this movie’s Joan Baez got to be one.
(Oh, and Mangold got to show It ain’t me, babe is his couple song again, though with different vibes. When he lets Johnny Cash and June Carter sing it in Walk the Line, they are on their way to getting together; in A Complete Unknown, he lets Dylan & Baez sing it post breakup, making the lyrics very much barbs at each other, but still with some much electric chemistry that they might as well have had farewell sex on stage.)
(Johnny Cash also shows up in the film in a few cameos, trading letters and some support with a Dylan who has already become famous and is starting to feel more and more fenced in by it. Does that mean it’s the Mangold Shared Universe now?)
And what of our main character? Not just by avoiding any kind of childhood or youthful background, the film commits to Dylan as The Enigma. Which isn’t to say he never comes across as vulnerable; for example, his admiration for Guthrie is sincere and presented long past the stage where you could accuse him of wanting credit via association. But the film would not work without the music, it really commits itself to those songs as the true expression of whatever makes Dylan worth telling about, and worth remembering decades later. What I credit Chalemet’s acting with is providing the impression of a character constantly observing and thinking, which may sound deceptively easy but is anything but. A Complete Unknown doesn’t go for the usual sympathy points with its main character (no mean parent or obnoxious/evil authority figure standing in the way (unless you count the comittee at the folk festival in the grand climax who don’t want him to play electric, but at this point he’s already a global star, so it’s not like they have any leverage over him, and one of them, i.e. Pete Seeger, is as mentioned written and played as the nicest man in showbiz anyway), no terrible grief presented as causing bad behaviour, no tearful breakdown post excess. (BTW: Rare for any musician in a biopic set in the 1960s, the film’s Dylan does not get drunk, and doesn’t do anything excessive rather constant tobacco smoking.) But what it is does a lot is showing Dylan watching other people as much as they watch him, observing the world around him and channelling this into songs.
All in all: good, very good, though not great. But it’s the first film in a while where I absolutely want to have the soundtrack.
Personal background first: I am not a Dylan expert. I absorbed a good deal of his songs by sheer inevitability of being born in 1969 and living with an open ear or two in the decades thereafter, but in terms of biography, what I know comes mostly from a Beatles angle (i.e. he famously introduced them to pot, in terms of musical challenge and inspiration he was to John what Brian Wilson was to Paul, George idolized him), or from a Joan Baez angle (i.e. Diamonds and Rust), and due to the use of All Along the Watchtower in Battlestar Galactica, I know he must be a Cylon. (Okay, first and last BSG joke in this entry.) All of which just to say: I have no particular beef invested in whether or not the presentation of Dylan and the rest of the cast adhers to biographical reality (as far as it can be ascertained), but am observing the film solely on its own plus some very vaguely related 1960s knowledge.
So: firstly, this is a movie that picks just a few years of its subject’s life, to wit, 1961 - 1965, from Dylan’s initial breakthrough in the folk music scene to him going electric. It notably avoids any and all childhood scenes or references - there is even a scene where Dylan when challenged by his girlfriend (Sylvie in the movie, played by Elle Fanning, and according to other reviews based on a woman named Suze in reality) denies not just his but anyone else’s background has any relevance - , or big “this is why X is the way they are” scenes. And in direct contrast to Mangold’s Johnny Cash picture, there’s no “there’s the first wife who doesn’t understand him or support him enough, here is the true soul mate” dichotomy with the two women the movie presents in romantic/sexual relationships with the lead; Sylvie is depicted as smart, politically engaged in the way Dylan is not, and supportive though not to the degree of self negation, hence is the one who calls it quits (both times), while Joan (Baez) who is already famous when they meet (as opposed to him) has terrific chemistry with Dylan, but the musical mixture of competition, admiration and resentment is precisely what ensures they won’t be permament, either.
What is similar to Walk the Line is Mangold managing to present a huge ensemble of other musicians around his leading man, deftly providing even the ones who only show up briefly with distinct personalities and the hints of their own stories unfolding as they flit in and out of his lead’s life. The film starts with young Bob visiting his hero Woody Guthrie (hospitalized, unable to speak but able to communicate nonetheless) and running into Pete Seeger on that occasion as well, and Seeger (played by Edward Norton) comes across as the nicest guy in the musical scene, almost, but only almost, too good to be true. (Almost because he clearly has the occasional non saintly annoyance triggered by Bob Dylan as the movie unfolds.) (And good for Mangold to build in a reminder to the general audience that “This land is your land” is a protest song via Pete quoting it at his HUAC hearing.) Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez is phenomenal, both the acting and the singing, and I especially appreciate that the movie went for something more complicated than “he done her wrong”; she and Dylan come across as both very attracted to each other and seeing what the other musically could do for them from the start (in his case, popularize his songs when he’s not yet well known, in her case, while she has already started to compose herself, she also as a singer is always on the lookout for really good new material). They see each other a little too clearly for comfort throughout and that takes turns from being attractive to being repellent and back for them. Ambitious for themselves female musicians in the movies are still a rarity, and I really liked this movie’s Joan Baez got to be one.
(Oh, and Mangold got to show It ain’t me, babe is his couple song again, though with different vibes. When he lets Johnny Cash and June Carter sing it in Walk the Line, they are on their way to getting together; in A Complete Unknown, he lets Dylan & Baez sing it post breakup, making the lyrics very much barbs at each other, but still with some much electric chemistry that they might as well have had farewell sex on stage.)
(Johnny Cash also shows up in the film in a few cameos, trading letters and some support with a Dylan who has already become famous and is starting to feel more and more fenced in by it. Does that mean it’s the Mangold Shared Universe now?)
And what of our main character? Not just by avoiding any kind of childhood or youthful background, the film commits to Dylan as The Enigma. Which isn’t to say he never comes across as vulnerable; for example, his admiration for Guthrie is sincere and presented long past the stage where you could accuse him of wanting credit via association. But the film would not work without the music, it really commits itself to those songs as the true expression of whatever makes Dylan worth telling about, and worth remembering decades later. What I credit Chalemet’s acting with is providing the impression of a character constantly observing and thinking, which may sound deceptively easy but is anything but. A Complete Unknown doesn’t go for the usual sympathy points with its main character (no mean parent or obnoxious/evil authority figure standing in the way (unless you count the comittee at the folk festival in the grand climax who don’t want him to play electric, but at this point he’s already a global star, so it’s not like they have any leverage over him, and one of them, i.e. Pete Seeger, is as mentioned written and played as the nicest man in showbiz anyway), no terrible grief presented as causing bad behaviour, no tearful breakdown post excess. (BTW: Rare for any musician in a biopic set in the 1960s, the film’s Dylan does not get drunk, and doesn’t do anything excessive rather constant tobacco smoking.) But what it is does a lot is showing Dylan watching other people as much as they watch him, observing the world around him and channelling this into songs.
All in all: good, very good, though not great. But it’s the first film in a while where I absolutely want to have the soundtrack.
no subject
Date: 2025-06-26 01:04 pm (UTC)I am not a Chalemet fan and while I like Dylan's songs, I hate his voice and really only want to listen to other people singing them, so I would not consider myself a fan. But this sounds really interesting and I may have to watch it! I am especially looking forward to the Seeger stuff!
no subject
Date: 2025-06-29 03:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-06-29 04:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-06-29 03:32 pm (UTC)'A Complete Unknown' was a funny experience for me due to realizing I knew an above-average amount about Dylan when I thought of myself as someone who didn't know that much about Dylan. Just because there's so much about Dylan to know! But, for instance, my friend I saw it with was much more familiar with Cash and ONLY knew 'It Ain't Me Babe' as a Johnny and June song.
I basically loved all the performance moments in the movie, being familiar overall with the lore, and then I thought 'huh I had no idea Cash was at Newport for the plug-in moment' -- which it turns out he wasn't. I follow that up with the proposal that Cash in the last act MAY have been entirely a figment of Bob's imagination -- Caprica 6 to his Baltar if we're sticking to the Cylon themes. (I in no way am suggesting this was intentional, but i like to think you can read the movie this way.)
The other thing this film made me want to revisit was 'Inside Llewyn Davis' which is a pretty perfect movie to me.
no subject
Date: 2025-06-29 04:16 pm (UTC)ETA: and yes, please check out Love & Mercy!