JAN 30, 2025 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | By Meg Neton
My dad has one of the most vibrant music tastes I’ve heard. When I was younger, and he was driving me to school or picking me up, he would turn on the radio and quiz me, asking, “Who sings this?” I usually just responded with the only 80s rock band I could remember: The Police. But, unlike my five-year-old brain’s impression, he actually listened to an array of artists, from Gordon Lightfoot to the Mongolian band The Hu.
I knew who Bob Dylan was because of my dad and had even listened to some songs before seeing “A Complete Unknown.” The film, directed by James Mangold and starring Timothée Chalamet, had been all over my social media feed. In all honesty, when I watched the trailer for the movie, I was more captivated by watching Chalamet on screen than watching a film about Bob Dylan. I know that sounds shallow, but who can blame me? Chalamet is not only the heartthrob of our generation but possibly one of the most brilliant actors of our time.
I went to see the movie over winter break, accompanied by two of my dear friends. From the opening scene, I knew that Chalamet would hit every mark. He was able to portray a man who, even after being in the limelight for decades, is a complete enigma to the public. Dylan was and still is very mysterious, creating a sort of fascination with him. Every touch of Dylan, from his voice to his overall demeanor, is evident in the film, with Chalamet’s near-perfect portrayal.
However, I was not only captivated by Chalamet’s depiction of Dylan while watching the movie. I was also intrigued by a woman of great importance in Dylan’s life: Joan Baez, portrayed by Monica Barbaro.
Baez was a great musician in her own right, and while watching the movie, viewers learn that she introduced Dylan to the folk scene. The dynamic chemistry between Barbaro and Chalamet perfectly illustrated how Dylan and Baez’s relationship was both professional and private. I understood the relationship between the two more fully while listening to Barabro and Chalamet sing “I’m not the one you want, babe/I’ll only let you down” in a silent fight during their performance of “It Ain’t Me Babe.” Dylan eventually ascended to unprecedented levels of fame and musical creativity, leaving the folk scene and Baez behind, but something tells me that Baez is not the type of woman one easily forgets.
Before watching the movie, I had heard Baez’s classic song about Dylan, “Diamonds and Rust.” I have always admired her boldness, and when she sings “Then give me another word for it/You who are so good with words/And at keeping things vague,” I always smile at her audacity to call him out publicly. In truth, their relationship does not even seem that far off from a modern-day ‘situationship.’ The movie showcases that Dylan didn’t have an amazing voice, but it was instead his lyrics that attracted people. Dylan himself says, “I consider myself a poet first and a musician second. I live like a poet, and I’ll die like a poet.”
What I liked most about this movie is that it did not try to answer the question of who Bob Dylan was. Instead, it portrayed the star without speculating about his upbringing or influences. The movie simply lets Dylan exist, without trying to solve the puzzle of who he really is. Despite my initial reasons for attending the movie, I can fully say that while I went to see Chalamet, I left with a new micro obsession: good ol’ Bob Dylan. I became fascinated with Dylan, his artistry and his relationships. After watching “A Complete Unknown” and researching, I can thoroughly say that Dylan was a great musician, an interesting guy and a breathtaking poet.