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Newport Folk Festival, 1965. Bob Dylan stands behind the stage, listening to the crowd chant his name. His friend Bob Neuwirth stands in front of him, acoustic guitar in one hand and an electric Stratocaster in the other. Dylan hesitates for a split second, and then he reaches for the Stratocaster. He goes electric.
A Complete Unknown is a 2024 biographical musical drama directed by James Mangold, revolving around the life and work of Bob Dylan, one of the most influential artists of the second half of the 20th century. Based on the 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald, the movie follows Dylan’s life from the day he arrives to New York in 1961, through his rise to stardom to his transformation from a folk troubadour into a rockstar, showcased by the infamous concert at the Newport Folk Festival.
Dylan is portrayed by Timothée Chalamet, who, despite the public’s initial scepticism following the announcement of his casting, steps into Dylan’s shoes more than gracefully. Not only does he play Dylan, sensibly adopting his unique mannerisms and quirks, but he also plays and sings his songs. While his past roles such as Everything Happens to Me or Wonka prove that Chalamet is indeed a capable singer, trying to replicate Bob Dylan’s unconventional raw voice could have very easily turned into a distasteful parody. Luckily, it did not.
The supporting cast has (rightfully) received similar critical acclaim, as well as many nominations and awards. Monica Barbaro shines as Joan Baez, whose tumultuous relationship with Dylan serves as a recurring motif in the movie. Elle Fanning becomes Sylvie Russo, a fictional character based on the singer’s real-life lover Suze Rotolo. Edward Norton plays Pete Seeger, a folk singer-songwriter and activist who introduces Dylan to the public and embodies the old order threatened by Dylan’s transformation. Many other prominent figures of the 1960s musical scene are depicted on screen as well, most notably Johnny Cash, Woody Guthrie, and Bob Neuwirth.
The film is neither historically accurate, nor does it pretend to be. More is untold than told, and what is told cannot always be trusted. While it primarily references the lyrics of Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone”, we can extend the meaning of the title A Complete Unknown to Bob Dylan as an artist, as a persona, as a person. The film does not show a single second of Dylan’s life before he came to New York, and except for a brief mention in the subtitles, it does not reveal anything about his life beyond the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 either. The viewer is served with a mere snippet of Dylan’s life, which further supports Mangold’s choice of portraying the singer as a mysterious and unique man that was not afraid to risk his success to speak his mind.
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