"You can never be wise and be in love at the same time" - Bob Dylan
If I’ve learned anything from biopics such as this it’s that fame is a real motherfucker. With Elvis he blazed the trail of superstardom - he was the first of his kind so there was nothing to warn him of the trappings that seemingly haunt every famous person, in his case and Dylan’s, famous musicians. He created a roadmap of sorts warning of the dangers that come with such acclaim. Unfortunately it seems most well known artists think it couldn’t possibly happen to them until it inevitably does. From drugs and alcohol to loneliness and isolation, Elvis endured it all. Musicians like Bob Dylan came along thinking they knew better. Reality has a tendency to make equals of us all at some point. As influential as Dylan would become, he was no exception.
While not touched on in the film, Dylan fell victim to heroin abuse at the height of his fame in the 1960s. He wasn’t impervious as he may have thought. What the film does address is his discovery and rise in the folk music scene eventually reaching a point in his career where he felt he had outgrown the genre and desperately wanted to move on.
From the director of Walk the Line, James Mangold, A Complete Unknown focuses on the repercussions of desiring and obtaining fame and the burdens that come with it. What I took away most from this glimpse into the man’s life is that he wanted so earnestly to be well known for his music. And when he finally got what he wanted he realized it wasn’t the life he thought it would be. He fought for his place in the limelight and quickly seemed to regret the attention he was garnering from fans and money hungry businessmen alike. His truth came from the music and lyrics he wrote and beyond that seemed to be a world he had little interest in examining outside of its influence on his music. An introverted musician suddenly found fame and fortune and simply withdrew and sometimes rebelled.
A Complete Unknown finds Bob Dylan at the beginning of his career. Trying to make a name for himself, Pete Seeger, famed folk singer, hears Dylan’s voice and drowns in the beauty of his lyrics. From the moment he heard Bob Dylan play, Seeger was a fan and a fan with connections. In the 1960s Bob Dylan would rise to fame in the folk music scene alongside artists like Pete Seeger and Joan Baez. Known for his isolated vocals and soaring acoustic guitar, Dylan’s desire to go electric was a massive shock to the gatekeepers of the folk scene as well as its fans who took Dylan’s change as a kind of betrayal.
For Bob, he just wanted to say new things in a new way and he chose electric, a bass and drums in support of his new vision of things to come. Despite the reticence of his fanbase, this new endeavor would go down in history as one of the most transformative moments in 20th century music. His fans had to learn to accept every version of him and he had to accept that despite his best efforts of rebellion and subversion, he was to become a household name for his musicianship and lyricism until the end of time.
Timothée Chalamet has left little doubt of his abilities over the last decade but any remaining skepticism there may be will be laid to rest when his portrayal of Bob Dylan is presented to the world this coming Christmas. He is captivating and wholly immersed as this real life human being. His mannerisms, tone of voice and spectacular wardrobe allow for Chalamet to disappear and for Bob Dylan to emerge as he once was in the 1960s. Most astounding of all though is the singing Chalamet contributes to the film singing every single lyric and song by Dylan you hear throughout its runtime. He personifies Dylan in just about every conceivable way and it’s extraordinary to experience.
Every bit as compelling, his two great loves at the time, Sylvie Russo and Joan Baez are fully realized by Elle Fanning as Russo and Monica Barbaro as Baez. They exist at opposite ends of a spectrum for which music and fame are the focal point. On one end, Sylvie loves Bob for his talent and unique outlook on life. She is enamored by the man. At the other end is Baez who not only admires his music, as a famous musician herself, she understands his apprehension to pursue a career as an artist. Both love him and loathe his bluntness he often mistakes for simple, innocent honesty. He loves them for the very reasons they care for him but as fame digs its claws ever deeper into him, he becomes stuck between them seeing little to no hope for their personal relationships as the inevitability of time barrels down on them with all the fame and pandemonium that comes with it.
The music is extraordinary, the lyrics absolute poetry. The performances, particularly Chalamet as Bob Dylan are nothing short of transcendent. The story is filled with famous and unfamous alike all making their influences felt in the life of one of music’s most famous and significant figures that has ever or will ever live. Humanizing our heroes can be a tumultuous and scary thing. To quote the film A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, “Please don’t ruin my childhood.” Referencing her husband’s profiling of Mr. Rogers, a journalist’s wife, is fearful he will dig up unsavory things about the famously lovable and kindhearted television personality. To learn of the intimate moments of a famous and beloved artist’s life is an invitation to potentially discover the ugliness of humanity which can be a gutting thing to absorb. Bob Dylan was and is a flawed human being but his genius is undeniable and this most recent portrayal and recreation is quite something.
Rated R For: language
Runtime: 141 minutes
After Credits Scene: No
Genre: Biography, Drama
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Edward Norton
Directed By: James Mangold
Out of 10
Story: 9/ Acting: 10/ Directing: 8.5/ Visuals: 8
OVERALL: 8.5/10
Buy to Own: Yes.
Check out the trailer below:
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