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This week at The Tryon Theatre is “A Complete Unknown,” a biopic centered on folk music’s favorite son, Bob Dylan. 

Directing and writing this period piece is James Mangold, a director with a wonderful talent for compelling filmmaking without excessive personality of style, an approach that places the content first and the authorship second. Mangold has adapted this film from the 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric!, written by Ethan Wald. This film is centered on a small chapter of Dylan’s life, namely the first four years of his growing fame, leading up to his highly contested use of electric instrumentation in his performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. However, “A Complete Unknown” explores this early chapter with such clarity and creativity that the film still feels full in emotional scope despite its contracted timeframe. 

Bringing the iconic troubadour to life on the silver screen is Timothee Chalamet, a young actor whose range continues to be proven, with yet another excellent performance given as Dylan. Chalamet’s physical likeness is impressive—his sleight frame and shaggy mop of hair perfectly befitting of his character’s waifish appearance. But far more remarkable than any aesthetic similarity is the success with which Chalamet performs Dylan’s music, imitating his distinctive vocal style with great nuance and earnestness, sidestepping a hokey impression. This film features many in-narrative performances of Dylan’s music, giving Chalamet numerous opportunities to embody the full spectrum of Bob’s performance, all the tics of personality and style incorporated. 

Dylan has always struck an enigmatic figure, a highly self-curated blend of authenticity and performance, contradictory yet brimming with undeniable and electrifying talent. His music has transcended generations, and his artistic legacy has endured the ever-evolving musical landscape. With figures possessing as storied a reputation as Dylan, there is a tendency in biopics to lionize the subjects, depicting them without fault, a rose-tinted memory. “A Complete Unknown,” in a turn deserving of great praise, avoids this classic pitfall, portraying its subject in a naturalistic light, all beauties and flaws equally illuminated, a refreshingly honest take on an artist who has no share of faults to balance his tremendous talent. This even-handed depiction extends to the other figures of this story, both artists with whom Dylan shares the stage and those people behind the scenes 

This film has already received great acclaim from critics and audiences, earning multiple Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Director, Actor, and Supporting Actress. Biopics are often easy crowd-pleasers, with a reliably rewarding format and an opportunity for the public to feel closer to the artists behind the beloved art. “A Complete Unknown” succeeds in spades with its attempt at an emotionally and artistically stirring work of cinema, a film deserving of its acclaim and deserving of its subject. 

We hope you will share this film and its iconic songs with us soon!