Screenshot of an X post Bob Dylan shared on Dec. 4, 2024.

I am not a Dylanologist, but grew up in a home where Bob Dylan was played frequently so I have a natural appreciation for the man and his music. As a music history lover, the news of a Dylan movie starring Timothee Chalamet excited me and I wasn’t disappointed. 

The Oscar-nominated film “A Complete Unknown” lives up to its title because Bob Dylan is an enigma and people have known this for six decades, even the most casual fans. The movie does an excellent job of portraying a specific time period, from when Dylan arrives in New York City’s Greenwich Village in 1961 to when he “went electric” at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. The latter is an event so big in rock history that it has its own Wikipedia page.

Dylan is known for being elusive and aloof and the movie accurately portrays many events like I envisioned they happened. Not every detail is fact, but the general story line and events are true to his story. 

The movie opens with a young Dylan arriving in New York City to visit his idol, folk singer Woody Guthrie who is hospitalized with Huntington Disease and unable to speak. Fellow folk musician Pete Seeger is also there, played by a masterful Edward Norton, and Dylan performs a song he wrote for Guthrie, immediately impressing the two folk music icons.

We see Dylan break into the folk scene and become an instant star, meeting Joan Baez and Johnny Cash and his then-girlfriend Sylvie Russo played by Elle Fanning, who gave him a sense of home. He played the Greenwich Village club scene at intimate places, including Cafe Wha? and Gaslight Cafe, where he performed original songs that protested the times like “Masters of War.” The social and political climate and 1960s Greenwich Village vibe was captured beautifully in the film. 

Chalamet shines as Dylan, from his singing to his mannerisms and even nailed his faraway eyes and powerful yet aloof stage presence. It’s obvious he poured his heart and soul into the role and even learned the guitar to authentically play Dylan’s songs and take on his persona. Known for a nasally, coarse voice, Chalamet captured that as well.

At Gerde’s Folk City, Dylan meets Joan Baez, played by Monica Barbaro, and is blown away by her beauty, singing and songwriting. They have a tense romantic relationship throughout the film but it was clear that Dylan’s infidelity and lack of emotion ended a lot of relationships. The film revealed how they inspired each other when they were together and apart. The viewer could feel the emotion between the two when they sang duets, whether it was their upbeat, happy giggles during “It Ain’t Me Babe” at the Newport Folk Festival or the tension performing together at smaller venues.  

Even after watching this biopic, many may still view Dylan as “a complete unknown,” not really learning much about his roots and interests. It was mentioned that Dylan’s legal last name is Zimmerman, not uncovering much else. The movie makes it clear that he buried Robert Zimmerman and started a new life as Bob Dylan in New York City, becoming upset when Sylvie asks about his upbringing.

In December, Bob Dylan, now 83, gave “A Complete Unknown” his stamp of approval in an X post, acknowledging that the movie is based on the 2015 book “Dylan Goes Electric” and encouraging people to see the film and then read the book.

“Timothee Chalamet is starring in the lead role,” Dylan wrote. “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.”

“A Complete Unknown” is currently playing in theatres and not yet available on streaming platforms.