A Complete Unknown
2024
****
Director: James Mangold
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Scoot McNairy, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz, Eriko Hatsune, Big Bill Morganfield
20-year-old Bob Dylan arrives in New York, meets his heroes Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and óver the next few years becomes a major success. James Mangold's compelling biopic chronicles Dylan's life from 1961 to 1965, presenting a talented but arrogant artist who refuses to remain the folk singer everyone else wants him to be. The film naturally features several musical numbers, but they feel raw and authentic because all the actors do their own singing. Timothée Chalamet gives one of his strongest performances to date, with Edward Norton and Monica Barbaro providing excellent support as Pete Seeger and Joan Baez, respectively. James Mangold and Jay Cocks scripted from Elijah Wald's 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric!. Prior to this, Todd Haynes attempted to capture the essence of Dylan in his 2007 film I'm Not There.
