Ray Leach
Bob Dylan burst onto the scene, already a legend.
Initial reaction
As a folk lover, I was intrigued by the idea of A Complete Unknown (James Mangold, 2025). As a fan of Bob Dylan, it was a wonderful thing to see silhouetted heads bobbing and knees bouncing throughout the film – not to mention the keen applause once the credits started rolling; it was a small, volunteer-run cinema littered with older viewers so the claps were more heart-warming than anything.
In the interest of keeping this review spoiler free, I will air my thoughts without revealing any plot-related details. To put it bluntly, watching the film felt exciting. It unveils aspects of Dylan’s romantic and professional life in perfect balance. You come away wanting to hear live recordings of his early years – just before his fame exploded – as you know what comes next for the young star.
Biopics and their challenges
Biopics can be a tall order, particularly when the subject is alive, well and deeply beloved. Many musical biopics have graced the big screen in recent years – such as Ray (2004), Judy (2019), Rocketman (2019), Elvis (2022) and Back to Black (2024), among many more. This trend could be due to society’s need to place celebrities on a pedestal to offer a sense of worship and direction. Role models become what we want them to be, and we paint specific pictures of how they should be. So when we watch biopics, perhaps expectations are too high, which is why they are are often met with scepticism and occasionally flop entirely.
This isn’t even the first film created about Bob Dylan’s life, adding to the concern over the film’s purpose. Timothée Chalamet was a key part in the making of this movie as the lead character and also as a producer. He seems to be at the right place in his career and life to play such a role – and he did an exceedingly good job – arguably making him the spearhead for the film.
Monica Barbaro’s portrayal of Joan Baez was also beautifully orchestrated and shouldn’t go unmentioned. She emulated the long-haired hippy energy that one would expect from Baez. Her voice was wonderful, although it was criticised by some keen ears for not quite hitting the ‘Joan Baez mark’.
Elle Fanning played Sylvie Russo, who was known in real life as Suze Rotolo. It is said that Dylan wanted her real name changed for her protection. She was a real person without notable fame attached to her, so even to this day, Dylan wanted to respect that.
Joan Baez and Bob Dylan: the love affair
Joan Baez is a legend in her own right. At the time of meeting Dylan, she was already a well-established folk artist with a huge following. She didn’t need him, but there seemed to be a magnetic energy between the two of them. Despite the couple entertaining other relationships over the years, the chemistry between them was undeniable. Watching their duets (both in the film and real recordings), faces hugging the shared microphone and eyes darting awkwardly around, you can sense their adoration and the connection they shared.
The yearning between Baez and Dylan seemed painful. It was as if they kept missing one another. Dylan was addicted to his craft, and it was this passion that often took a toll on his personal and work relationships.
A famous clip of the couple has resurfaced on the Internet. Reflecting on their relationship, Baez comments, “I married the man I thought I loved”. Dylan scoffs as he says back (profound and yet casual): “That’s what thought has to do with it. Thought will fuck you up.”
