A Complete Unknown

What is it about Bob Dylan? He was not an extraordinary guitarist. His voice was rough at best. He overused the harmonica. His songs ran long. And by most accounts, he was a prick. Despite all of that, he wrote great songs. He remains a mystery.

Timothée Chalamet captures that mystery in A Complete Unknown. Another excellent performance. He nails Dylan’s moody silences and self-serving streak. He also sings and plays the songs himself. It is today’s great actor playing yesterday’s great songwriter.

I don’t have much more to add. It is worth watching.

One moment that stood out was the contrast between Dylan’s early and late visits to Woody Guthrie in the hospital. The first time, Dylan is timid, almost reverent. He plays a song and earns Guthrie’s respect. By the end, hardened and already playing electric guitar, he returns to pay his dues. Guthrie presses his harmonica into Dylan’s hand for safekeeping. A quiet passing of the baton from one of folk’s forefathers to the man who would reshape it. A nice touch.

What ultimately defines Dylan is that he always did his own thing. That’s rare in a person.