A Complete Unknown

Review by Rob Hinkal

Say what you will about Bob Dylan, but there is no denying his stature as one of the most influential American artists of the 20th century. To demystify his beginnings is no easy task, and strangely, A Complete Unknown never really tries.

Helmed by James Mangold, whose previous directing credits include Walk the Line, Ford v Ferrari, and Logan, A Complete Unknown is… good. The performances are good. The music is good. The directing is good. It’s a good movie. But what more does it offer viewers besides what is seen at the surface level? Not much.

Bob Dylan has, throughout his career, seemingly strived to turn himself into an enigma. I can’t say that I felt I had any new pieces to solve that puzzle after sitting down to watch the movie. I enjoyed the ride, but I had nothing to think about on the way home. You hope to gain some insight into the mind of an artist or feel more familiar with their story when you see a film of this nature, and I just… didn’t. It was difficult to truly discern any real overarching message when the credits rolled other than “Remember when Bob Dylan went electric?”. I was disappointed as I would have loved to learn more about Dylan’s backstory. Instead, I got a serving of his time as a folk musician living in New York, growing into the icon he now is.

Issues with the narrative aside, this movie is exceptionally well made. It’s confidently directed, has some fantastic performances, and feels like an old-style Hollywood production with its scope. Timothee is being highly discussed as a serious contender for this year’s best-actor Oscar, and very well could take it home. There are moments of true emotional heft in the film. They catch you. But, what exactly are they in service of? I wish more effort had been put into telling an actual, enlightening story about the subject.

If you love Bob Dylan before seeing this you will still love him afterwards. If you hate Bob Dylan before seeing this, I don’t think you will like him anymore having seen it. It’s a beautifully produced vessel for not much at all.