Critics Have Seen Timothée Chalamet’s A Complete Unknown, And They Can’t Stop Talking About His ‘Playfully Off-Kilter’ Turn As Bob Dylan

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As a seasoned gamer who’s spent countless hours immersed in the world of cinema, I must say I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of Timothée Chalamet’s Bob Dylan biopic, “A Complete Unknown.” Having watched trailers and read reviews, I can confidently predict that this film is set to be a masterpiece.

Timothée Chalamet has had quite a remarkable year so far. His upcoming projects include “Dune: Part Two”, scheduled for release in March 2024, and the much-anticipated Bob Dylan biopic titled “A Complete Unknown”. This film will see the talented actor portraying the iconic singer/songwriter who gained fame in the 1960s. The movie is set to hit theaters on Christmas Day. Initial trailers suggest that Chalamet has masterfully captured Dylan’s essence, and after critics got an early peek, they were eager to share their thoughts about “A Complete Unknown”.

It’s exciting to note that before its release, A Complete Unknown has been earning praise. The film was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama at the 2025 Golden Globes, with Timothée Chalamet and Edward Norton also receiving recognition for their performances. Tomris Laffly of AV Club gave the movie an A-, appreciating both Chalamet’s and director James Mangold’s efforts in creating a smart yet approachable narrative. The critic further commended the film for its dynamic storytelling.

Timothée Chalamet remarkably sings and talks like Bob Dylan, capturing the gravelly tone and casual nonchalance that Dylan is known for. Yet, his portrayal of Dylan in this biopic isn’t conventional, where an actor becomes one with the character. Instead, Chalamet delves into a deeper register, creating a performance that is striking in its accuracy while still maintaining a unique, playful twist – a nod to the rapid ascent of his own artistic career, which seems to evoke memories of the free-spirited and melancholic characters he played in films like “Miss Stevens” and “Call Me By Your Name.

In a candid admission, Brian Tallerico from RogerEbert.com initially harbored doubts about the movie, but much like Bob Dylan’s frequent surprises in his career, A Complete Unknown managed to surpass those skepticisms. Tallerico awards it a rating of 3.5 out of 4 stars.

In Mangold’s portrayal, Chalamet delivers a stellar performance that perfectly embodies Dylan. He not only sings like him but also encapsulates the freshness and novelty of these scenes. When he performs ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’ for the first time in a pivotal scene, it resonates deeply with the movie audience who are familiar with the song. However, Chalamet and the production team manage to convey the raw excitement that the characters in the film felt when they first heard this masterpiece at Newport. This brings an electrifying energy to the film, making it feel contemporary rather than just another repetitive biopic – more like a fresh experience instead of a well-worn jukebox.

Brian Truitt of USA TODAY finds Timothée Chalamet’s performance in A Complete Unknown just as captivating as that of Bob Dylan, giving it a rating of 3.5 out of 4 stars. He praises the film for standing out among biopics by being both entertaining and magnetically engaging. Truitt notes that Chalamet’s portrayal is authentically refreshing rather than irritatingly imitative.

A Rare Biopic like “A Complete Unknown” will make you yearn to rewatch it, delve deeper into its soundtrack on Spotify, and discover fresh admiration for Timothée Chalamet as a gifted actor of his generation, embodying Dylan as a blues-loving maverick.

According to Pete Hammond from Deadline, the main actor delivers a stunning performance that leaves one in awe as the legendary singer. Director James Mangold contributes additional elements to make it an exceptional movie overall. The music itself is a standout feature that makes the ticket price worthwhile. In simpler terms, Hammond’s review states that the lead actor amazes us with their portrayal of the iconic singer, and the film as a whole, thanks to Mangold’s direction, is top-notch; moreover, the music in the movie alone justifies the cost of admission.

At the center of this all is a remarkable performance by Chalamet, who performs all the songs himself in astonishing and authentic fashion. There is no lip-syncing or blending of voices between actor and subject. It is all Chalamet in the same way Walk the Line was all Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, and Coal Miner’s Daughter was all Sissy Spacek. Done the right way as it is here, it adds immeasurably to this film without turning into an imitation. Chalamet goes a long way to capture Dylan in every moment, with vocals that are jaw-dropping to behold; all the work he put into every aspect of capturing Dylan is evident.

According to Siddhant Adlakha from IGN, this film receives a “Good” rating of 7 out of 10. He notes that the director adopts a seemingly simple method for portraying Bob Dylan, and the movie shines brightest when it maintains an air of enigma around its subject. In conclusion, Adlakha suggests that the film is at its best when Dylan remains a mystery to us.

In a shift from his work on Ford v Ferrari, director James Mangold steps away from the driver’s seat for A Complete Unknown, resulting in an unconventional Bob Dylan biopic. Instead of tracing the impact of the world on him and vice versa, the film presents Dylan’s significant musical transformations as personal dramas experienced by his peers. The narrative maintains a straightforward structure but, by focusing more on the people in Dylan’s life rather than Dylan himself (portrayed by Timothée Chalamet), it creates an air of mystery around him, for better or worse.

With all the excitement building around this film, it’s intriguing to find out the reasons. If you’re curious about what everyone’s talking about, the movie titled “A Complete Unknown” will hit theaters from December 25th onwards.

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2024-12-10 23:37