Timothée Chalamet is set to step into the shoes of Bob Dylan on the small screen. A Complete Unknown, directed by James Mangold, premieres on December 25th in the United States.
The film, starring the beloved French actor, dives into the early days of Dylan’s career, from his humble beginnings in Minnesota to his meteoric rise to fame, focusing specifically on the years between 1961 and 1965.
Bob Dylan isn’t exactly “a complete unknown” in music, but he once was, long before fame. Now, Timothée Chalamet stars as the curly haired singer from Minnesota, who by the way, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016. The film is generating buzz, not just for Chalamet’s performance, but for his singing too. “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” resounding through the first trailer in July, with Chalamet’s Dylan-like voice front and center. Now, a second, longer trailer gives us a deeper look at the film.
As we know, Timothée stars as Bob, but let’s not forget about the other significant players in this cinematic symphony. Elle Fanning steps in as his girlfriend, Sylvie Russo, who, fun fact, is just a renamed version of Dylan’s real-life sweetheart from that era, Suze Rotolo, as confirmed by director James Mangold. Then there’s Monica Barbaro as the legendary Joan Baez and Edward Norton bringing folk icon Pete Seeger to life. It’s a cast that promises to add some serious depth to the story of a musical legend.
Mangold spoke with Rolling Stone magazine about the challenge of portraying Bob Dylan and stated that: “One of the things that is truly hard to define and certainly I think hard to define on film — and one of the great questions of life — is what is talent and how is someone born special.” He emphasized what he wants the audience to take away from the film, highlighting the complexities of artistic genius and its impact on both the individual and society. The exploration of talent, he suggests, goes beyond mere ability; it touches on the essence of existence and how we perceive those who possess extraordinary gifts.
“And instead of me trying to answer that question, which I truly believe is unanswerable,” he continued, “I think that we try to answer, when we come across someone like that, who’s got some kind of artistic tiger by the tail and seems on a kind of rocket ship compared to us mortals, how does it affect us and our feelings about existence, our own validity? Jealousy, worship, idolatry, obsession, love, all these things can be the result of this kind of superpower that a character can have.” Mangold’s insights invite viewers to reflect on their own emotions and experiences when confronted with the brilliance of a creative force like Dylan, enriching the narrative with deeper layers of meaning.
The movie is generating significant controversy even before its release, as a large portion of Bob Dylan’s fanbase does not want Timothée Chalamet, or rather, they do not believe he is the right choice to portray their idol. For some, the issue with Chalamet is that he’s not exactly a “complete unknown.” When news broke four years ago that he would play Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, fans started to get uneasy in their seats, and as the production progressed, their bad vibes spilled out onto social media. It all came down to masculinity. Comments like “too pretty,” “too vulnerable,” “he’s androgynous,” and “enough with liquid masculinities” started to circulate.
Sure, as Joan Baez herself once pointed out (played by Monica Barbaro in the film), Dylan did embody a normative, often “macho” masculinity. But to deny the delicate Chalamet the chance to do what he does best, which is act, seems a bit excessive. Letting him explore the vibes of a complex character without boxing him in is essential because that’s what art is truly about. Limiting someone like Chalamet means missing out on the richness that diverse interpretations can offer. It’s all about breaking boundaries and embracing the full spectrum of what a character can be.
As A Complete Unknown gets ready to drop this December, Timothée Chalamet’s take on Bob Dylan is about to stir up some real talk, especially with all the buzz around it. While some fans aren’t sold on his casting, the film looks like it’s gonna dig deep into Dylan’s journey, exploring themes like talent, vulnerability, and keeping it real. With a dope supporting cast and James Mangold at the helm, this flick is set to shake up how we view masculinity and artistic expression. As the hype builds, it’s hard not to wonder how Chalamet’s version of this music legend will hit with both the hardcore Dylan fans and the newbies, making this cinematic journey through an icon’s life one you won’t wanna miss.
Credits:
Director: Alejandro Bernal
Text: Tomás Di Conza
