Walk The Line, which focused on the life of Johnny Cash was a huge hit for director James Mangold in 2005, winning a string of awards and remains one of the highest-grossing musician biopics. 20 years later he returns to the genre with A Complete Unknown, a spiritual successor in some ways as this focuses on Bob Dylan from 1961 to 65 charting his rise from the small clubs of the New York Folk scene to international stardom and the acclaim and controversy surrounding his shift to electric instruments in 65. This culminated in his closing performance of that year's Newport Folk Festival which split his fanbase.
Starring as Dylan is Timothée Chalamet, fresh off the huge success of Wonka and Dune Part II. His stock couldn't be higher so there is extra interest surrounding the project (not that a Bob Dylan biopic would ever be small). What helps this film as with Walk The Line and Rocketman before it, is that Chalamet and his co-stars Monica Barbaro (Joan Baez) and Edward Norton (Pete Seeger) do all their singing live. This gives the film a sense of authenticity and theatricality that something like Bohemian Rhapsody lacked.
The concert sequences are invigorating, breathing new life into many of Dylan's best-loved early hits like “Don't Think Twice, It's All Right” and “Blowin' in The Wind”. Mangold clearly understands the importance of these sequences for us to be invested in Dylan's story, while the vocal performances of Chalamet, Norton and Barbaro are all terrific. The challenge of making a film about Bob Dylan is how much of an enigma his inner life is, while we get glimpses at his relationships with fellow musicians and romantic involvement with Sylvie (Elle Fanning) and Baez, a lot of his motive and background before moving to New York are kept deliberately vague. The sense of ambiguity has divided the fanbase but it feels like it suits Dylan and prevents it from falling into biopic clichés.
Keeping the focus specifically between 61 and 65 gives it more room to breath, rather than trying to cram 20-30 years into the span of two hours. We get a sense of the period in question, with frequent references to political and social events of the era, like the Cuban Missile Crisis and JFK's assassination. It helps us establish how Dylan's music and personality evolved in this period, from more traditional folk heavily inspired by his hero Woody Guthrie and folk icon Seeger, into an electric sound influenced by rock n roll acts of the era.
While at 2hrs 20, it can at times feel bloated, the performances and musical sequences keep us invested. Chalamet is irresistible while Norton is terrific as his warm and supportive mentor. Barbaro and Chalamet are electric with a real sense of sparks and the yin and yang of Dylan and Baez's relationship.
A Complete Unknown does enough to separate itself from the string of other recent biopics, focusing on a small but hugely important segment of Bob Dylan's life. The performances help the film soar with the commitment to live performances one of the main attractions. It should please Dylan purists and prove a fine point for new fans to dive into his vast back catalogue.
A Complete Unknown is out now in cinemas