Timothee Chalamet turns in a career-defining performance as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
Timothee Chalamet has given himself every chance to bag his first Oscar following a career-best performance as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown.
Bob Dylan is one of the most influential artists of all time and his pursuit to release different kinds of music that reflected what he was living through at the time, meant that while not always popular, he appealed to music lovers of many genres.
This side of Dylan was captured to perfection by Timothee Chalamet in this new biopic.
Unlike other films in the genre, the film focuses less on the life of Dylan and more on how he created the music he would eventually become famous for.
This was a masterstroke by director James Mangold, as it keeps the movie fresh despite being part of a genre that has been done to death.
Just this year we have a Robbie Williams, Bob Dylan and Michael Jackson biopic; thankfully the first two (Better Man and A Complete Unknown) have done well to differ themselves from others, while also being refreshingly entertaining.
One of the biggest drawcards to these movies is, of course, the collection of songs.
I can’t lie, I found myself singing along multiple times, but it didn’t detract from the story. The Times They Are A-Changin’ and Blowin’ in the Wind were particular standouts.
This was due to Chalamet’s performance. He sounded fantastic as Dylan and unless you are a devout fan of the original music, you wouldn’t be able to tell it wasn’t Dylan himself.
Chalamet said he spent five years researching this role and it shows. From his demeanour on stage to his facial ticks and the twang in his voice – all elevated his performance above just a cheap imitation.
The supporting cast were also fantastic – Edward Norton as Pete Saggart and Elle Fanning as a fictional love interest of Dylan’s; both brought award-calibre performances in their own right, but it was Monica Barbaro who was the standout as Joan Baez.
It took me about an hour to place where I had seen the Top Gun Maverick actress before, but by the halfway point I stopped caring because I was lost in her character’s world.
I was astonished by the way this film was shot too.
It wasn’t as simple as just filming a performance. There were layers to how Dylan was feeling. You could tell if he was putting his all into a show or if it was simply him fulfilling an obligation.
The zooms and the choice of camera angle added a tension that isn’t there in other biopics.
It uses the music to deliver the conflict, not cheap tropes like abusive or manipulative managers such as in Bohemian Rhapsody or Elvis.
A Complete Unknown deserves its Best Picture nomination at the Oscars.
While I don’t think it will win, it does deserve to be in the discussion for one of the eight best movies of the past 12 months.
A Complete Unknown is showing in cinemas across the country.
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