Review of the movie A Complete Unknown. Timothée Chalamet in an interesting folk biopic

Folk music continues to have millions of fans around the world, even if some people consider its sound outdated and boring. At one time, listeners and critics tried to make Bob Dylan the key figure of the genre, although the singer himself has always strived for creative freedom without any restrictions. Of course, when thoughts of great art meet the prose of reality, conflicts are inevitable. It's also a good breeding ground for a variety of artistic and not-so-artistic works.

In 2015, music critic Elijah Wald wrote the book Dylan Goes Electric!, in which he described Dylan's attempts to reinvent the folk genre with a new, modern sound. And in 2025, the movie A Complete Unknown was released in Ukrainian cinemas, taking the biography as a basis and turning it into something more free-spirited. The result was interesting, especially with the talents of Timothée Chalamet, who plays the lead role in the movie.

James Mangold's film A Complete Unknown, which tells the story of the younger years of the legendary musician Bob Dylan, is an example of a combination of biographical cinema and an artistic, free, even ephemeral approach to the portrayal of a cult figure. Only at the very beginning can we compare Dylan's story in cinema with the classic elements and structure of biopics. Later on, the film crew tries to look a little deeper into the singer's motives and thoughts, especially into the chain of events that led to his experiments with electronic sound.

That is why the film is perceived not as a biography, but as something more. As the film progresses, even Dylan's figure fades into the screenplay shadows, and the conflict between conservative folk fans and young artists, who cannot be deterred even by threats to their future popularity, comes to the fore. In addition, A Complete Unknown is also a story about art that destroys real lives. After all, like many other artists, Dylan was a difficult person to communicate with, work with, and especially love with.

Mangold deliberately refrains from trying to create an idealized image of Dylan. All attempts to describe him as part of an ordinary human story, defined by clear stages and complete emotional challenges, are rejected in favor of a more vague, melancholic, and poetic approach. The final image may even evoke disgust and revulsion.

The heart of the film is undoubtedly Timothée Chalamet as Dylan. The actor, known for his ability to transform himself, sometimes completely unrecognizable, this time appears before the viewer not just as a young Bob Dylan, but as a collective image of all rebellious artists. A surprisingly accurate physical resemblance to the musician at that time, a slightly raspy voice, the way he speaks and moves - all these details allow us to create a character that is not a banal copy. Chalamet puts into his performance not only appearance but also emotional, almost magical depth, showing how young Dylan gradually becomes the phenomenon the world saw him as. And in addition, Chalamet once again demonstrated how beautifully he sings.

This approach, which rejects the templates of traditional biographical cinema, gives A Complete Unknown a kind of poetry and depth. The rejection of a standard narrative does not make the film difficult to understand, but allows us to focus more on the music and atmosphere itself. However, sometimes the film crew gets too carried away with trying to see art through the prism of Bob Dylan's thoughts. In such moments, the story lacks clarity and texture, and viewers who like precision and consistency may become bored.

At the same time, there are no complaints about the film from the visual and technical point of view. Mangold does an excellent job with historical details: costumes, sets, props - everything is verified to the smallest detail. This allows the viewer to immerse himself in a time when the music scene still seemed like a map of a new world full of unknown places.

A Complete Unknown is a movie that doesn't try to satisfy everyone and doesn't try to simplify the complexity of Bob Dylan as a person and an artist. Mangold creates not just a story about one of the most influential artists of all time, but about the spiritual search and uncertainty of an era. Timothée Chalamet, with his exceptional performance and ability to penetrate the essence of the character, enhances the film, creating an image that seems to explore Dylan's inner world, not just his life's journey.

With an expanded approach to Bob Dylan's work, focusing on the atmosphere, meditative mood and versatility of the figure, the film provides a unique experience and at the same time leaves room for reflection. This is not just another movie for music fans, it is a movie for those who are looking for more in biographical cinema than just a story and a set of interesting facts about an equally interesting historical figure.