Iconic musician Bob Dylan may be one of the icons of music, but as an individual, the artist preferred to be somewhat of a recluse. His provocative lyrics may have motivated and inspired many in the 1960s when American society was undergoing civil unrest and change, but Dylan's rise to stardom also came with issues with mentor Pete. 

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James Mangold's A Complete Unknown chronicles the iconic legend Bob Dylan's initial years of activism and stardom in the 1960s, when American society was undergoing massive change amid the civil rights movement. Dylan's enduring stardom and relevance lie in the fact that the singer's words may move people and make them think, but his life is shrouded with mystery—with him living a quiet, private life despite popularity—for all these years. Based on Elijah Wald’s 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties—Mangold's film showcases a young Dylan (played by Timothee Chalamet) and his rise as a musician and a thought-provoking artist even as he switched from acoustic to electric guitar. 

Written by Mangold and Jay Cocks, A Complete Unkown focuses on four crucial years when Dylan made a shift—from singing covers in his first album to becoming an artist to reckon with. The film also highlights his professional collaboration with artist Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro), the influence of his girlfriend Sylvie (Eklle Fanning), who introduced him to counterculture movements prevalent in America in the 1960s, and his relationship with mentor of sorts Pete Seeger (Edward Nortan). The film spans over three consecutive Newport Folk Festivals. The initial year has him collaborating with Baez, in the second year, he walks off mid-stage when asked to play his hit song, and the third has him transitioning into a star folk singer who refuses to bow down to traditional methods and chooses to sing what he wishes to despite being the top draw on the finale. 

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Plot 

Dylan arrives in New York City in 1961 and within four years revitalises folk music with his words and music. While his background is never explored, at one point his girlfriend asks him why he never talks about his origin, but it is brushed off by the man and never addressed later. 

While visiting his ailing hero Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy), Dylan runs into renowned folk singer Pete Seeger, who impressed by his music, takes him home and becomes a mentor. Seeger and his wife Toshi (Eriko Hatsune) watch over Dylan’s steady progress as a star musician whose popularity only grows with time. 

Music and performances

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While Dylan's background remains sketchy in the film, with the makers mostly concentrating on the singer who made it big in New York, the film is rich with Dylan's iconic songs- all impressively performed by Chalamet himself. Where words fail for the singer, his music speaks for him, make A Complete Unknown a beautiful musical ode to the Nobel laureate. 

Along with Dylan, Baez too is celebrated. The folk musician was ahead of her time and shared a complicated personal as well as professional relationship with Dylan. Both Chalamet as Dylan and Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez are outstanding. The scenes where two artists are seen admiring and jamming together are performed by the actors earnestly. Both Chalamet and Barbaro, nominated for Oscars 2025, make these iconic musicians come alive in A Complete Unknown. 

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The film serves as a valuable insight into Dylan's evergreen persona. In his 80s and mostly away from the limelight, Dylan and his music continue to inspire generations of musicians and artists and leave a defining impact. A Complete Unknown shows the genius musician and his ability to adapt and become a power to reckon with. Still, Mangold also manages to highlight the stubborn individual that the singer has been who has been nonchalant about the attention he has got - almost reluctant - and yet has been egoistical to reject the love that has come his way. A Complete Unknown doesn't whitewash Dylan even when it glorifies his activism and music, and perhaps that's what makes the film special. 

Nominated in multiple categories at the Oscars, A Complete Unknown is running in theatres across India.