The Times They (Still) Are a-Changin'

James Mangold's A Complete Unknown (2024) doesn't break too many biopic conventions cinematically, but in a world where musical biopics are a dime a dozen these days, this refreshingly traditional take à la Robert Altman circa the 1970s is an inspired one. From Timothée Chalamet's powerhouse performance as Bob Dylan, the stellar ensemble cast, and the electric (so to speak) live performances of songs to Mangold's stylish yet committed direction, this film has something for everyone. Without further ado, here is my review of A Complete Unknown.

The movie follows a young Bob Dylan (played by Timothée Chalamet) throughout a series of events from meeting his terminally ill and bedridden musical hero Woody Guthrie (played by Scoot McNairy) and simultaneous discovery by veteran folk singer Pete Seeger (played by Edward Norton) in New York City circa 1961, his relationships with his then-girlfriend Sylvie Russo (played by Elle Fanning) and rising folk singer Joan Baez (played by Monica Barbaro) to his controversial decision to move from acoustic to electric instruments in 1965 at that year's Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island.

All the performances in this film range from excellent to incredible, with Chalamet's Oscar-nominated transformation as Bob Dylan being the obvious highlight. His seemingly effortless vocal and emotional embodiment of the famously reclusive and emotionally closed-off yet gifted singer-songwriter/cultural icon, without coming off as an impression, is a marvel in and of itself. While we don't learn too much about the actual Bob Dylan here — the fact that much of his backstory is a mystery, like in real life — it feels like a faithful adaptation.

Moving on to this movie's supporting cast, Elle Fanning's emotionally compelling performance as Dylan's then-girlfriend and muse, Sylvie Russo (Suze Rotolo in real life), serves as a great emotional and moral contrast to him, especially as Dylan's star power grows rapidly, seemingly overnight, overwhelming her in the process. Monica Barbaro's Oscar-nominated turn as fellow folk singer Joan Baez is a show stealer, for not only are her vocals dead-on with the actual Joan Baez during that time period, but her on-and-off fling and rivalry with Dylan is a fascinating sight to watch, given the real-life Dylan and Baez's history with each other. Speaking of show stealers, Edward Norton's subtle yet convincing turn as Pete Seeger, representing the old guard of folk music and social justice activism, and Boyd Holbrook's glorified cameo as Johnny Cash, the rebel willing to "track mud on somebody's carpet" as Cash advises Dylan, are both effective with their respective roles in this film.

On a side note, the scenes featuring the bedridden and physically paralyzed Woody Guthrie feel like a spiritual epilogue to the 1976 Guthrie biopic Bound for Glory; the end of Woody Guthrie's story and the beginning of Bob Dylan's, which I greatly appreciated, having recently watched Bound for Glory.

Two of the strongest assets this picture provides (besides Chalamet) are director and cowriter James Mangold's surehanded direction and the exquisite sound mixing of the live on-set musical performances (all the actors' singing and playing of their instruments were performed and recorded live on-set as opposed to lip-synced or dubbed over in the final edit), which are masterfully-done in a low-key manner. The way Mangold utilizes the New Hollywood-era stylistic, visual, and audio aesthetic approaches of the late Robert Altman and his films like Nashville (1975) is an inspired one, for the combination of the seamless interweaving and direction of a large ensemble cast of historical figures along with the multi-layered audio soundtracks that create an all-around immersive viewing and listening experience left an impression on me. Seeing all these historical figures interact with each other, along with cameos from other known artists like Peter Yarrow (played by Nick Pupo) and Noel Paul Stookey (played by Stephen Carter Carlson) from the group Peter, Paul & Mary, as well as Dave Van Ronk (played by Joe Tippett), add to this movie's overall immersiveness without being distracting or slowing down the pace.

As the title of this review implies, the cultural setting of this film still resonates as the various folk singers and groups and their tunes in this movie find themselves at the forefront of the 1960s, where civil rights violations and peaceful marches within the Civil Rights Movement against social injustices are prevalent, international affairs like the Cuban Missile Crisis generate fear of nuclear war, and people's active use of art and music to creatively resist this country's continued oppression of vulnerable and voiceless people groups both domestically and internationally, all of which our present reality shares eerily similar shades of. The fact that this generation has to continue that fight is disheartening, but as the lyrics to the famous anthem "We Shall Overcome" go,

"We shall overcome some day, Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, We shall overcome some day."

Overall, A Complete Unknown works thanks to its cast and direction, which made this film a memorable viewing experience. While Timothée Chalamet didn't win an Oscar for this performance, he remains a highly talented actor whose willingness to challenge himself time and time again is an inspiring feat. Also, despite not being entirely revolutionary in terms of film techniques or storytelling methods used, it nevertheless remains a riveting and enjoyable watch.

Final Score: 9 out of 10