A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holdbrook, and Scoot McNairy
Director: James Mangold
AMARÚ
A Complete Unknown is a solid enough movie filmed by a damn good director in James Mangold, who captures the essence of 1960s New York and the fighting spirit of the decade’s folk movement. Through his vision, the cast effortlessly fills their gigantic subjects’ shoes, especially Timothée Chalamet who absolutely disappears into the role of Bob Dylan. Even more impressive is that, considering there’s probably more performances than dialogue, Chalamet sings each song himself. His acting and singing talent, Edward Norton’s great supporting performance, and Dylan’s wonderfully descriptive lyrics allow this concert movie to tell an entertaining story, if not a wholly in-depth one.
ADRIANO
If you want an introspective look at Bob Dylan that gives the artist an enigmatic aura while still feeling the weight of his influence, watch I'm Not There. Otherwise, you’ve got A Complete Unknown, a movie with a hypnotic performance from Timothée Chalamet as Dylan, but also a bland story filled with both compelling concert sequences and undefined character motivations. I understand the concept of shrouding Dylan in mystery, but this film's storytelling feels distant, insisting on his importance to music history without having a faint idea as to why. It could've been worse, but I'll never see this again.
NICK
A Complete Unknown is a terrific example of great performance not being the same as a great film. In fact, I'd argue there are two great performances, Timothée Chalamet (Bob Dylan) and Monica Barbaro (Joan Baez). It's the film they're featured in that leaves much to be desired. Aside from some excellent musical performances, the story of Dylan is distant and cold with many of the supporting characters' motivations untold. Perhaps this mirrors the man, but when your protagonist comes off as more of a jerk than a rebel, it doesn't make for a lead you can get behind.
PRESTON
I have to admit that I didn’t know very much about Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet) and, although I like his music, I don’t know that I could have picked out any of his songs prior to this film. Timothée Chalamet hasn’t impressed me much in the past, but he turns in what I consider to be one of the best lead performances of the year. Even coming in at over two hours, director James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown is a breezy and satisfying watch for all of us who can appreciate the trailblazing, artistic contrarians who can inspire us all.
PAIGE
Because of its shallow screenplay, A Complete Unknown is more of a compilation of Bob Dylan's greatest hits than a comprehensive biopic of the musician, but that, I think, is part of its appeal. This is a voyage of an artist who goes against the grain and does what he wants, when he wants, so don't expect to gain more insight about this contrarian, or you'll be a little let down. Timothée Chalamet perfectly channels a mysterious Dylan, and is bolstered by similarly captivating performances from Monica Barbaro, Elle Fanning, and Edward Norton.
QUENTIN
As a person who isn’t a massive Bob Dylan fan and someone who doesn’t get Timothée Chalamet's appeal, I was unsure what to expect with A Complete Unknown, even though I'm usually forgiving with musical biopics. Surprisingly, I was given a rushed, poorly developed, and borderline trash story that works only because of Chalamet's magnificent turn as Dylan and the folk icon's song list (convincingly performed by Chalamet). Those two elements, as well as great supporting turns from Edward Norton and Boyd Holbrook, are enough to keep you entertained even as you realize you aren’t learning a damn thing about the counter-culture hero.
