Actor Timothee Chalamet has taken on a variety of roles, from Laurie in Little Women (2019) to Mr. Willy Wonka himself in Wonka (2023). His rise to fame has taken him in many different directions, now leading him to his role as the iconic singer, Bob Dylan, in the new movie “A Complete Unknown.”
“A Complete Unknown” is a story depicting Bob Dylan’s journey from arriving in New York City in 1961 to Dylan’s 1965 performance at Newport. The tale starts with a young Dylan landing in NYC, looking for famous singer Woody Gutherie (Scoot McNairy), only to find him in a hospital after suffering from a stroke. Dylan plays Gutherie a tune that he wrote for him: “Song to Woody.” The lyrics to 19-year-old Bob Dylan’s song were moving to Gutherie, for “there’s not many men that done the things that you’ve done.”
We are then introduced to characters like Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning), Dylan’s main love interest and Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro), the affair partner/other woman. Dylan falls in love with Russo in New York, with the two even moving in together. But after Russo goes on a trip, Joan Baez enters Dylan’s life. The affair comes to an end after a fight between Baez and Dylan. Despite this, the two still have to perform together at Newport. The following scene, featuring the performance of my favorite Bob Dylan song “It Ain’t Me, Babe,” was packed with tension between the two musicians. Sharing one microphone, the two made direct eye contact while singing the heartbreaking song to one another. The performance truly feels like Dylan is explaining to Baez why they cannot be together: “Go lightly from the ledge, babe. Go lightly on the ground. I’m not the one you want, babe. I will only let you down.”
To me, the scene had a striking similarity to the 1997 performance of “Silver Springs” by Fleetwood Mac. This haunting video depicts Stevie Nicks and her former lover and at-the-time bandmate, Lindsey Buckingham performing in Burbank, CA for a massive crowd. Currently amassing 42 million views on Youtube, the performance resonated with so many, for Nicks was looking directly at Buckingham as she sang “You’ll never get away from the sound of the woman that loved you.” Watching “A Complete Unknown” showed me the origin of the fascination with this “Silver Springs” video; it had happened roughly 33 years earlier in Newport between Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Although they are only reenacting, Chalamet and Barbaro have the tension and resentment that made this scene of the movie mesmerizing.
After losing Sylvie Russo, Bob Dylan shows up at her apartment, convincing her to run off to Newport with him. There, he takes the stage of the folk venue and performs his new rock albums, “Bringing It All Back Home” and “Highway 61 Revisited.” He first showcases the song “Maggie’s Farm,” an instrument heavy piece, and gets booed. This does not stop Dylan, however. He plays “Like a Rolling Stone,” one of his most famous songs and finally sings the lyric that the entire movie is named after— “a complete unknown.” Although the crowd still does not like this new rockstar version of Bob Dylan, he continues to become more successful. The movie ends with Dylan returning to New York and beginning his next adventure.
The part of the movie that most struck me was Chalamet’s ability to emulate Bob Dylan, despite being 54 years his junior. In order to prepare for his tremendous role, Chalamet spent five years learning to play guitar and studying Dylan’s mannerisms. Chalamet not only learned how to sing in Dylan’s style, but he also perfectly encapsulates his spirit.
Notoriously nonchalant, when faced with scenarios that would break an average man, Chalamet (as Dylan) merely shrugs it off, seemingly unshaken. When his long term girlfriend, Sylvie, leaves him, he once again shakes his head and lights a cigarette. The world may quake, but Dylan remains unbothered. Chalamet did a fantastic job conveying the careless nature of Dylan during his emerging adulthood.
My father grew up in the time of Bob Dylan’s fame, and he was struck by Chalamet’s performance. Discussing the performance, he referenced an old joke: “when’s the only time you see Bob Dylan without a cigarette in his mouth? When he’s singing.” Chalamet definitely delivered on this aspect of his performance, for he often put out cigarettes on screen just to light his next one, especially when he was writing. He was scolded for smoking in places he was not supposed to throughout the movie, but that never killed his enthusiasm for tobacco.
In my opinion, this movie is a must-watch for those with a passion for music. Not only does it show the development of Bob Dylan as he gains confidence as a musician, but it also highlights the musical journey. Often movies move faster with an aim to tell the entire story, but I enjoyed the choice to only go from 1961 to about 1965. The smaller period of time allowed the audience to fully understand Dylan as a person and his frustration with branching out his musical sound. The story of Bob Dylan is the story of a young singer-songwriter attempting to maintain his authenticity despite the constant and loud critics. Although he received a lot of trouble at the time, it is clear that his efforts paid off tremendously. The movie serves as a testament to how a musician can go from ‘a complete unknown’ to known by all.
Leave a Reply