Here are the things I know about Bob Dylan. His video for Subterranean Homesick Blues is quite brilliant. A number of his songs have been covered by artists who have sometimes managed to eclipse the original. And his voice is somehow both pleasing to the ear and not unlike a musical vacuum cleaner. Those are the things I know about Bob Dylan. So I wasn't in a rush to watch A Complete Unknown, although the people involved ensured that I would get around to it eventually.
Timothée Chalamet plays Dylan, a young man we first see arriving in New York City as a talented 19-year-old on a pilgrimage to visit a hospitalised idol, Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy). Dylan meets Pete Seeger (Edward Norton) while visiting Guthrie, and this proves to be one of the first stepping stones on his path to great success. He also gets involved with Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning), finds a strong connection with the fantastic Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro), and becomes more and more selfish as he commits himself to the lyrics and music that will transform him from a complete unknown to an enigmatic musical icon.
Based on a book by Elijah Wald, adapted into screenplay form by Jay Cocks and director James Mangold, A Complete Unknown manages a fine balance of showing the man behind the music while not actually showing you the man behind the music. It quickly becomes clear that Dylan wants his work to speak for him, and there's no denying that he has quite a sizeable discography from which to pull statements from. Mangold is a very capable director, able to turn his hand to a variety of genres, but this is one of his best works, although it come after a decade of him delivering one great film after another (albeit films not necessarily right in line with this one).
Everything is helped by Chalamet being so good in the lead role. Instead of delivering what could have been a clumsy impression, Chalamet really does seem to embody the spirit of the musician that he's portraying. He also convinces with the singing and guitar-playing, however that is performed onscreen. Norton is so good in the role of Seeger that it's a reminder of how good it is to watch Norton in the right role, and I feel as if we have missed some fine work from him for too long. Both Fanning and Barbaro are just as good as anyone else onscreen, and do very well to avoid being overshadowed by the man who ends up, to some degree, being the centre of the musical universe for many. McNairy doesn't get much to do, but does it well, Boyd Holbrook has fun as Johnny Cash, and many more secondary characters are played by a selection of pretty flawless supporting players.
There's not much more to say about this. It's quite standard biopic stuff, even if it is only looking at one key part of Dylan's life. The moments that are tweaked to make them more cinematic retain a core of authenticity, the many truths throughout the film are compelling and thought-provoking, and the decision to keep an air of mystery swirling around the figure being observed works for both the film and the enduring legend of Dylan.
Did I feel as if I knew a lot more about the man once the end credits rolled? Not really, and you could call that a failing. I wouldn't though. I decided that I appreciated the small amount of extra context that gave me even more appreciation for a body of work that I'm now keen to explore. Let's face it, I liked the film so much that I didn't spend this entire review trying to insert a load of Bob Dylan songs and puns. I guess the times they are a-changin'.
9/10
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