A Complete Unknown

I don’t know why I bother with these biopics sometimes, they are so well done but also all the same. This one in case you missed it is about Bob Dylan and it’s Timothée so-hot-right-now Chalamet in the lead role. It’s made by James Mangold who also did Walk the Line about Johnny Cash 20 years ago.

It gets so much right. Chalamet looks the part and sings the songs well (arguably too well?). Monica Barbaro is an excellent Joan Baez (eerily similar singing style). The narrative is focused and the writing is good.

It’s just… completely unsurprising, and somewhat uninspired. We know Dylan went electric and caused a riot, we’ve all got Wikipedia. So what can you offer us beyond re-creating real-life events? Not much!

Look, this is a wonderful showcase for a really good actor and it’s hard to be too mean about it. I’d just recommend Inside Llewyn Davis over this all day long and it’s not even directly about Bob Dylan.