Whether you are an avid listener of the acclaimed folk singer Bob Dylan, or just a fan of 60’s culture and “Dune” star Timothee Chalamet, the new biopic titled “A Complete Unknown,” after a line from the Dylan song “Like a Rolling Stone,” proved to be enjoyable for both old and new fans alike. 

The film follows Bob Dylan through an eventful four years of his journey through stardom, which skyrocketed after Dylan traveled to New York City to meet one of his music heroes, folk singer Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy), who was accompanied by Pete Seger (Edward Norton). 

Norton did a great job portraying Seger, who serves as a mentor, and is partly responsible for the Dylan that is known today. 

The music in this film includes all of Dylan’s most familiar songs, but with a twist – Timothee Chalamets live vocals. 

Although this is not the first time Chalamet has sung live in a film (he played Willy Wonka in the 2023 musical film “Wonka”), folk is definitely a new genre for Chalamet, so many critics were surprised to hear how he exuded the same laid back sound that Dylan is known for. 

The dedication that Chalamet put into this film doesn’t stop with singing though, he also played the guitar live on camera. I believe that the film became even stronger with the detail of opting for a more acoustic sound for the music, rather than using a pre-recorded track. 

Although music plays a big part, much of the film surrounds Dylan’s love triangle with activist Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning), and already famous singer Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro). 

Baez’s fame and trait of being seemingly unattainable was attractive to Dylan, especially with his budding career becoming even bigger when they would sing together, like during their iconic performance of “It Ain’t Me Babe” at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival. Russo on the other hand was both strong-willed and down to earth, a rock during a time filled with so much change. 

By including the story of this love triangle, director James Mangold gave a taste into what being a famous singer in the 60’s was like. 

Overall, I believe this film gave justice to Bob Dylan’s unique career, by incorporating the detail of using live vocals and guitar, and the setting of New York City underground venues and iconic music festivals in the 60’s that made the film visually entertaining.