InCinemas SG

Opening Date

27 Feb 2025

Rating

PG13 Some Coarse Language

些许粗俗语言

Runtime

141 mins

Language

English - subtitles to be advised

Genre

Drama, Music

Director

James Mangold

Cast

Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Norbert Leo Butz, Dan Fogler, Scoot McNairy

Synopsis

Set in the influential New York music scene of the early 60s, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN follows 19-year-old Minnesota musician BOB DYLAN’s (Timothée Chalamet) meteoric rise as a folk singer to concert halls and the top of the charts – his songs and mystique becoming a worldwide sensation – culminating in his groundbreaking electric rock and roll performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.

Reviews

By InCinemas 26 Feb 2025

A complete success.

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A Complete Unknown is a biographical drama of singer-songwriter Bob Dylan’s life, specifically focusing on his early folk music success days leading up to the significant controversy for his use of electric instruments.

Helmed by James Mangold (Walk the Line, Logan, Ford v Ferrari), the film stars Timothée Chalamet as the ecclectic talent alongside a stellar group of supporting cast consisting of Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Scoot McNairy, Boyd Holbrook, Dan Folger, Norbert Leo Butz, and more.

The film takes us back to the sixties, when a young Dylan travels to a hospital in New Jersey to visit ailing folk singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie (McNairy), his music idol. Dylan impresses Guthrie and his friend and fellow folk musician Pete Seeger (Norton) with his performance of a song he wrote for the former. Seeger, recognising Dylan's potential, takes him under his wing and gradually introduces him into the folk scene of New York City. Dylan's talents are undeniable and his meeting Seeger was just the stepping stone he needed to get to where he belonged.

Bob Dylan is a curious character the world could never pin down and while biographical films tend to peel back the curtains on its conventional figures, Mangold’s decided approach doubles down on Dylan’s enigmatism rather than make any sense of it. His vision is exceptionally realised with meticulous designs and committed performances from his cast.

To truly understand Chalamet’s talents is to know Dylan’s character and work. Beyond learning to play the musical instruments Dylan does, the young actor inhabited the role with defining mannerisms and distinct tone, delivering a precisive performance that leaves an incredible mark in his career. His virtuosity amplifies with every song he sings.

In fact, one of the film’s greatest strengths is in its musical numbers. Each so fluid and impeccably performed, it never feels ostentatious but a celebration of music for anyone with an ear for it. From all the times Dylan picks up his guitar to Seeger conducting his audience for an infectious sing-along, Johnny Cash (a scene-stealing Holbrook) taking the stage, and Joan Baez (a fiery Barbaro) flooring us with the voice of an angel, the screen illuminates with every song and transports audience to a time we wish we could’ve witnessed live.

In a time when biopics look to Lego pieces and a CGI monkey to be their unique selling points, A Complete Unknown proves traditional formulas can still work to great success (or perhaps they just lucked out for having a subject matter who is his own unique selling point). The film not only does enough to satiate Bob Dylan fans, it also serves as the perfect gateway to the folk legend for those unfamiliar with his work.
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Bob Dylan: A Complete Unknown