Was the film about Bob Dylan with Timothée Chalamet a winning bet?

On December 25th, A Complete Unknown, the film dedicated to a few years in the life of Bob Dylan, was released in the United States. The movie will arrive in Europe starting mid-January – for example, it will be released in England on Friday the 17th, in Italy on Thursday the 23rd, and in France on Wednesday the 29th. From its announcement, A Complete Unknown received a lot of attention because it tells the story of one of the most well-known and appreciated American musicians of all time. There is also great anticipation for the film due to some of its unique aspects. One of these is the presence of Timothée Chalamet in the lead role, performing Dylan's songs with his real voice, without dubbing. To prepare and achieve a vocal tone similar to the American musician, Chalamet took singing lessons from one of Hollywood’s most sought-after vocal coaches, Eric Vetro, who also coached Austin Butler for Elvis in 2022. The decision to cast Chalamet as the protagonist and have him sing with his real voice was initially met with much criticism from Dylan fans. They deemed the American actor too mainstream and ill-suited to embody a complex character like Dylan. Yet, thanks in part to a certain physical resemblance, the critics praised Chalamet's performance. According to most reviews, the 29-year-old actor managed to embody an iconic character while respecting his stature. For example, The Guardian writes that Chalamet successfully conveyed Dylan’s «insolent humor» and «swagger», crafting a «hypnotic» character.

Many observers have noted how A Complete Unknown departs from the typical stereotypes of biopics released in recent years, with many appreciating the film's authorial and brilliant approach. The film does not celebrate Bob Dylan’s life but instead focuses on specific aspects of his character, such as his personality and certain emotional vulnerabilities. The events that inspired the screenplay of A Complete Unknown are largely drawn from Dylan Goes Electric!, a biography of the musician written by historian Elijah Wald and published in 2015. Like the book, the film does not cover Dylan’s entire life but focuses on a specific period of his career, from 1961 – the year he moved to New York – to 1965, when he gave one of his most famous concerts, marking his transition from folk to rock. One of the few negative reviews of A Complete Unknown was published by Pitchfork, which criticized the film, directed by American filmmaker James Mangold, for failing to adequately highlight a key narrative element: Dylan’s shift from folk to rock. «The film’s attempt to capture this artistic conflict feels forced,» the music magazine writes, adding that even Chalamet’s performance could not save a biopic that, in their opinion, is «uninspiring».

The promotional tour for A Complete Unknown

For the promotional campaign of A Complete Unknown, Timothée Chalamet participated in an unconventional press tour. It began with a look-alike contest held in New York, where Chalamet himself unexpectedly showed up, making the event go viral. He later visited the University of Minnesota, attending marching band rehearsals that performed Dylan’s song Like a Rolling Stone. Chalamet also gave interviews on various television networks, surprising fans with his deep knowledge of college football. At the New York premiere of A Complete Unknown, the actor replicated a controversial Dylan look (complete with a blonde wig) that the American singer wore in 2003 at the Sundance Film Festival. Overall, this approach contributed to making A Complete Unknown’s press tour go viral and highly talked-about, generating extensive media coverage that was far more impactful than typical press campaigns. While Searchlight Pictures is the studio behind the film, the promotional strategy seems to have been strongly influenced by Chalamet’s personal initiatives, adopting creative methods to drive interest in A Complete Unknown. In a time when movie press tours are increasingly calculated and artificial (as in the cases of Barbie or Wicked), Chalamet broke conventions with an innovative campaign that will likely inspire others in the future.