There’s something about this full-length trailer for James Mangold’s “A Complete Unknown” that doesn’t seem to work. Is it Timothee Chalamet’s Bob Dylan impersonation? The actor sounds like Dylan, but it also doesn’t really feel like Dylan. Compare this to Cate Blanchett’s incredible work in “I’m Not There” and it turns out to be a night and day difference.
In a way, this is exactly how I imagined a Dylan biopic directed James Mangold would look like. It feels very basic, missing the cinematic flair needed to make it burst out of the screen. I’ll admit, I was excited when Mangold described the film as an “Altman-like tapestry,” but this doesn’t seem to be it.
Then again, who am I to judge a film by its 3-minute trailer. It’s more that Chalamet’s Dylan is a tad off-putting, and Mangold has never really struck me as any kind of formidable filmmaker, despite having made a few good films (“Logan” and “Ford v Ferrari”).
I reported on the mediocre reactions that greeted “A Complete Unknown,” which tested on 08.15.24. The cut shown was described as a “work in progress,” and one that focused too heavily on Bob Dylan’s relationship with Sylvie (Elle Fanning). A few days later, reshoots were called on the film. Chalamet and a good chunk of the cast were said to be back on the set in New Jersey for additional photography.
The biopic was described, by a few people, as “overlong”— it clocked in at around 2 and a half hours. There is obviously a bit of time for Mangold to shape his film, and it will no doubt be shortened in the coming months leading up to its late year release. “A Complete Unknown” started production in March and wrapped up its shoot in May. A very quick turnaround, and it’s now being rushed for Christmas Day release.
The biopic taps into the folk scene of the early 60s and Dylan’s rising stardom. The cast is starry: Chalamet playing Dylan, Edward Norton (Pete Seeger), Elle Fanning (Suze Rotolo), Monica Barbaro (Joan Baez) and Nick Offerman (Alan Lomax) and Boyd Holbrook (Johnny Cash).
Former film critic Jay Cocks wrote the script. He’s only written five films in 30 years, including “The Age of Innocence,” “Silence,” “Gangs of New York,” and “Strange Days.”