Forever revered as one of the greatest and most influential artists of all time, it’s impossible to cover Bob Dylan’s career in a movie or book. Many have tried, which is how Dylan has amassed so many biographies and biopics about him, yet none seem to be as well-made as this new one, starring Timothée Chalamet. “A Complete Unknown”, directed by James Mangold, follows the story of a young Bob Dylan and his rise to stardom to the point of the famous genre-shift at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. The screenplay is co-written by James Mangold and Jay Cocks based on the 2015 book, “Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties” by Elijah Wald. Initially announced in 2020, this film has been in production for years. Lead actor Timothée Chalamet (Bob Dylan) remarked that he was practicing for this role by singing “Girl from the North Country” on the Set of “Dune.” The movie is set to release in the United States on December 25.

On December 4, Bob Dylan, via X, stated, “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…It’s a fantastic retelling of events from the early ‘60s that led up to the fiasco at Newport.” If Bob Dylan himself successfully used the internet to praise this film, it has to be worth a watch, right? There are two covers from the film already released, a duet of “Girl from the North Country” by Chalamet and his co-star Monica Barbaro (Joan Baez) and Chalamet’s rendition of “Like a Rolling Stone.” While the film takes place between 1961-1965, it is rumored that some of Dylan’s later works are featured and covered in the movie. Mangold said in an interview that around 40 covers were to be in the movie. 

Dylan fans are a little torn on the concept of “A Complete Unknown.” Fans are saying things like “yet another movie about Bob Dylan that misses the point” and “we don’t need it,” and many are speculating that there’s no way the film will be worthwhile with Chalamet starring in it, yet a quick Google search will prove these statements unlikely. Variety Magazine’s Clayton Davis wrote “Timothée Chalamet slides into Bob Dylan with an effortless yet focused determination. Fearless in some hypnotic moments.” In an effort to promote the movie, Chalamet has been going around to various Universities and meeting with students from their music programs, paired with an early screening and Q&A. As more and more reviews start to pour in, many are saying “A Complete Unknown” will be securing a spot at the Oscars somewhere. The film, its actors, and production team have already been nominated or recognized for 22 awards so far, and the movie hasn’t even come out yet! For the Golden Globes, “A Complete Unknown” has been nominated for Best Motion Picture- Drama, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture- Drama, and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture.

One of the songs, Chalamet’s cover of “Blowin’ in the Wind,” was nominated for Song- Onscreen Performance (Film) at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards, which has excited much of the public about the musical side of this film. The soundtrack’s digital album drops on the 25th of December while physical formats including a vinyl and CD (already available for pre-order) are expected to be available in late February. With such a complicated and revolutionary career, “A Complete Unknown” is intended to connect a new generation of young people to the evergreen tunes Dylan introduced long ago.