Timothée Chalamet has earned critical acclaim for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, a biopic chronicling the singer-songwriter’s rise to fame.
The film has already secured three Golden Globe nominations and is predicted to be a contender at the upcoming Oscars.
Critics praised Chalamet’s performance, with The Guardian hailing his “amazing bravado” and Empire calling his musical talent “unimpeachable.”
However, The Independent felt the film played “too safe,” while Screen Rant described it as “fascinating yet frustrating.”
The film, directed by James Mangold, explores Dylan’s early career in the 1960s, focusing on his transition from folk music to rock ‘n’ roll, culminating in his controversial electric performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.
Based on Elijah Wald’s book Dylan Goes Electric!, the movie captures the friction between Dylan’s acoustic and electric personas, reflecting his evolving artistic vision.
Dylan himself endorsed the film, though he hadn’t seen it at the time.
“Timmy’s a brilliant actor, so I’m sure he’s going to be completely believable as me—or a younger me—or some other me,” he wrote on X.
Chalamet’s singing performance drew particular praise, with Deadline commending his live musical renditions without lip-syncing or vocal blending.
Pete Hammond of Deadline noted that Chalamet’s “astonishing and authentic” performance, coupled with strong production design, elevates the film beyond typical biopic fare.
The narrative also explores Dylan’s romantic relationships, featuring Elle Fanning as civil rights activist Sylvie Russo and Monica Barbaro as folk musician Joan Baez.
While Screen Rant appreciated the emotional depth given to these characters, it found Dylan himself portrayed as distant and enigmatic.
The Guardian awarded the film five stars, with Peter Bradshaw praising Chalamet’s “hilarious and seductive portrayal” and admiring the film’s unconventional narrative structure.
Conversely, The Times was less impressed, criticizing Chalamet’s performance as “blank-eyed lockjaw minimalism” and calling his singing “close to parody.”
The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin noted that A Complete Unknown “comes about as close as one could reasonably hope” to capturing Dylan’s mystique.
David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter added that while the film avoids simplifying Dylan’s complexity, its emotional detachment leaves a noticeable gap.
With a star-studded cast that includes Edward Norton and an acclaimed director at the helm, A Complete Unknown presents an ambitious, if polarizing, portrait of a musical legend.
The film premieres in the US on Christmas Day and in the UK on January 17.
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