Hiral Panchal
Contributing Writer
During the first week of spring quarter, Magic Lantern Films screened the Oscar-nominated movie “A Complete Unknown” in I.V. Theater. Though I didn’t know much about Bob Dylan and folk music, the film turned out to be a fulfilling watch that I was happy to experience.
“A Complete Unknown,” starring Timothée Chalamet, begins in the year 1961, when nineteen-year-old Bob Dylan arrives in New York determined to make his mark in the American music industry. Released on Dec. 25, 2024 and loosely based on true events, the film made an estimated $12 million in domestic opening at the box office. Gaining 7.4/10 stars in IMDb and 82 percent on the Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, the film was well liked.
Bob Dylan is an American singer and songwriter known for his specialties in folk and rock music in the 1960s. A highly acclaimed artist at the time, Dylan sold millions of albums, performing worldwide, and eventually received the Nobel Prize in 2016. In this biopic, Chalamet sang forty songs throughout the movie, along with learning to play the guitar and harmonica as a Dylan mimic, which is depicted several times throughout the movie. Many viewers were stunned to find this out, as they initially questioned if voice dubbing was used at all.
The beginning of the movie portrays Dylan making his way through the New York streets, where he meets his music idol Woody Guthrie, who is slowly dying from a disease. At the hospital, Dylan plays his own song for both Guthrie and his friend Pete Seeger. Impressed, Seeger takes Dylan to perform at an open mic night, where he meets musician Joan Baez. After Dylan impresses the audience, manager Albert Grossman takes him in as a client, and his music career takes off.
While he achieves fame and stardom, however, Dylan becomes unhappy with the expectations of the folk music industry. Dylan’s desire to experiment and venture beyond the folk movement prompts him to make controversial decisions. In one instance, he walks off stage mid-performance. Yet this decision allows Dylan to break free from the constraints of his manager and the audience, as he finally showcases his passion for rock and roll at the last concert shown in the movie. Despite the crowd’s disapproving reaction, Dylan is still able to make a lasting impact, since he finally gained the freedom he desired.
With Chalamet using his own voice to create a real experience for the audience, it is no surprise that he would be nominated for best actor at the Oscars, given the hard work he dedicated to the film. Commemorating a legendary singer, Chalamet immersed himself in the role by challenging himself with the complexities of learning to sing like Bob Dylan. While he did not win best actor, Chalamet’s performance is still one to be admired, and his portrayal of Dylan’s story emphasizes staying true to one’s passions and beliefs.
Alongside Chalamet is Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, Edward Norton as Pete Seeger, and Elle Fanning as Dylan’s love interest Sylvie Russo. The cast portray their role with the same authenticity, with Barbaro also claiming to have learned to sing in order to play the role of talented singer Joan Baez of the time. Chalamet and Barbaro immersing themselves in the music while depicting the lives of well-known artists makes this movie definitely one worth watching.