Review: A Complete Unknown

Directed by James Mangold   

140 minutes     R     2024

By Alexander Rennick    

May 12, 2025

There aren’t many movies today that you could take your grandparents to and have an equally captivating experience. My draw to the film was one of curiosity, while it was a draw of nostalgia for my grandfather. James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown retells the story of a young Bob Dylan and his rise to fame and success all while portraying how he impacted the future of the music world with electrical instruments and a flare like no other. 

We are introduced to Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet), hitchhiking to NYC to meet his dying idol Woody Guthrie. After, he arrives to play a song for Woody at the depressing psychiatric hospital. Pete Seeger, a close friend of Woody, decided to introduce a once obscure Bob Dylan to the music scene in the city with the open mic and folk shows. His iconic stamp on the music industry that later followed was displayed with crowds of fans that were eager to see him anytime and anywhere. 

Bob Dylan wasn’t a perfect man, and the film wants you to make that observation based on how he treats his colleagues and the women in his life. It is clear that the sudden fame and success that Bob Dylan made had an immediate impact on his overall character. James Mangold’s decision to include the moments that display Bob Dylan at his worst further amplified how power can change a man. A swarm of adoring fans would be seen latching on to his cab hoping to just see him. His ego skyrocketed allowing him to make bold decisions in his music and personal life he would not have made before.

The grit and realism highlighted by the cinematography added to the film's captivation. Immersion from the sound breaking crowd to the dull and noiseless hospital created a contrast of how music can impact both settings. The way the camera captures Bob's best moments when he can be seen in high-key (bright) lighting. In contrast, his worst actions happen in low-key lighting, shadows and seclusion. Cinematographer Phedon Papamichael’s camera movements allowed me to feel immersed with Bob Dylan’s story in all settings creating an intimate and natural style. Yet during the film we are still introduced to moments where Bob appears anonymous with a facade that masks multiple personalities.

Multiple moments during the film would have Bob begin quietly singing some of his own songs, just as someone who grew up would his music would. Today we may quietly hum, whistle or mumble the tune to our favourite songs. I could tell that it was the same story with previous generations. Almost every time Bob Dylan began to sing in a cold hospital room or in front of a roaring crowd I could look over to see my grandfather happily whispering the lyrics. That is what melted my heart the most while watching the film with my grandfather. The nostalgic moments that he re-lived made it an unforgettable watch. Although ‘A Complete Unknown’ isn’t in theaters anymore, I would recommend watching this movie with someone close that grew up during this time period that enjoyed his music. If anything, at least introduce them to this film.