A Complete Unknown

As someone who likes Bob Dylan, I was excited when the movie was announced and my favorite actor, Timothee Chalamet, was starring as Bob. At first, I was skeptical. I was worried this movie would be given the "Elvis" movie treatment, where people overlooked Elviv's flaws and treated the movie and the man himself as a God. Austin Butler's voice also took a hit because of all the vocal training, and he had to relearn his vocal tone and cadence after the movie ended because of how much he had to learn to sound like Elvis.

As someone who likes Bob Dylan, I was also worried about how he would handle a movie about the beginning of him becoming what we now know him as. A true Dylan fan knows that if Bob disapproves, it won't go on. James Mangold, the director, brought the story to Bob, and together, they talked through it and acted through it. Bob added bits to it to make it all fit together and at the final meeting with James. Bob signed it and told him. "Go with God." Bob would later praise Timothee on Twitter (X) By saying

"There’s a movie about me opening soon called A Complete Unknown (what a title!). Timothee Chalamet is starring in the lead role. Timmy’s a brilliant actor, so I’m sure he will be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me. The film is taken from Elijah Wald’s Dylan Goes Electric – a book that came out in 2015. It’s a fantastic retelling of events from the early ‘60s that led up to the fiasco at Newport. After you’ve seen the movie, read the book."

The movie follows Bob from his beginning at Greenwich Village in 1961 through the 1965 Newport Folk Festival incident, when Dylan goes electric and chaos ensues. Timothee embodies Bob during this period, as he goes from being a nobody to becoming a household name seemingly overnight. The supporting character, Sylvie Russo (Ellie Fanning), is based on Dylan's first serious relationship with Greenwich Suzie Rotolo and is featured on Dylan's Freewheeling album.

Bob asked for her name to be changed to protect Suzie. Despite their tumultuous relationship and break up in 1965. (After Bob's Affair with Joan Baez.) They were still close up until Suzie died in 2011. Dylan helped her after a house fire in the 80s, and they kept in touch.

Joan Baes, portrayed by Monica Barbaro, does a great job portraying Joan as someone who knew how to deal with Bob even when he was being treated as unique, and Joan knew how to keep Bob in check. Yes, they had a close relationship, but she also learned how to handle Bob when he was rude, or as she says in the movie. "You're kind of an Asshole, Bob." Joan and Bob were close despite not getting along well during their tour, as seen in the film. In real life, both artists still talk positively about one another. and are still friends. One thing I was shocked by in the trailer was Johnny Cash and how he was involved in Dylan's life then.

Also, forty of Bob's, Pete's, and Joan's songs were sung live to the camera. An idea was taken up after Edward Norton suggested it be done instead of recordings to make it more authentic. It worked out very well and made the movie even better.

I had no idea the two even knew of each other until this film. Boyd Holbrook embodies Johnny physically and mentally, although some might say Joaquin Phoenix is the perfect rendition of Cash. Boyd did a great job performing as another music great alongside Timothee as Bob. Edward Norton does fantastically as Pete Seegar and shows how he looked after Dylan in this beginning period, as a father figure, and shows Bob how to be a folk singer even though Bob doesn't necessarily know what artist he wants to be.

Pete, while frustrated with Bob's decision to go electric. Bob became more modernized by going electric, which freaked out the folk purists then. It was seen as blasphemous and wrong for Bob to do. Pete, along with fellow Folk purists, tried to sabotage his set.

Bob and Pete later reunited to honor Woody Guthrie at a memorial concert, and Pete Seeger later apologized to Bob via a letter in the 1990s.

The entire movie shows us how Bob got his start in folk music. I was worried about how it would be perceived not just by Bob himself but also by Dylan fans, as a fan of Bob myself. I believe they did him justice, thanks to James, and doing the right thing by getting Bob involved in the script and production.

I am so happy with how well the movie has been received, and I hope Timothee is on the path to winning an Oscar or two for not just his role as Bob but also as Paul Atredias in the Dune Franchise.

This was also Timothee's first production role alongside acting as Bob. Timothee fully immersed himself in Bob's music, style, and overall influence of the early 60s, thanks to the pandemic.

Tim also captured a lot of Dylan's overall behavior. Bob fans know he isn't always the friendliest person, and while the movie shows his tough side, it also does a great job showing how human he is and that his tough side isn't his only side, as everyone believes.

If you are a fan of Bob or Timothee, see this movie. It is exceptionally well done and does justice to Bob and his beginning as a folk artist. The film only covers up to 1965, but it fits in a lot. Take a Dylan head to see it. They'll love it, too.