A Complete Unknown
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''A Complete Unknown'' is a 2024 American
biographical A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curric ...
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...
drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...
directed by
James Mangold James Allen Mangold (born December 16, 1963) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Noted for his versatility in tackling a range of genres, Mangold made his debut as a film director with ''Heavy (film), Heavy'' (1995), and gai ...
, who co-wrote the screenplay with
Jay Cocks John C. "Jay" Cocks Jr. (born January 12, 1944) is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is a graduate of Kenyon College.singer-songwriter A singer-songwriter is a musician who writes, composes, and performs their own musical material, including lyrics and melodies. In the United States, the category is built on the folk- acoustic tradition with a guitar, although this role has ...
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
. Loosely based on the 2015 book ''
Dylan Goes Electric! ''Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties'' is a 2015 book by Elijah Wald and published by Dey Street Books. The book describes the Electric Dylan controversy, arising from a conflict between Bob Dylan ...
'' by
Elijah Wald Elijah Wald (born 1959) is an American folk blues guitarist, music journalist, and a blues, pop, and cultural music historian. He is a 2002 Grammy Award winner for his liner notes to ''The Arhoolie Records 40th Anniversary Box: The Journey o ...
, the film portrays Dylan through his earliest folk music success until the momentous controversy over his use of electric instruments.
Timothée Chalamet Timothée Hal Chalamet ( ; born December 27, 1995) is an American and French actor. List of awards and nominations received by Timothée Chalamet, His accolades include a Screen Actors Guild Awards, Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to ...
(who also produces) stars as Dylan, with
Edward Norton Edward Harrison Norton (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. After graduating from Yale College in 1991 with a degree in history, he worked for a few months in Japan before moving to New York City ...
,
Elle Fanning Mary Elle Fanning (born April 9, 1998) is an American actress. Her works include both independent films and blockbusters, and her accolades include a National Board of Review Award, in addition to nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and ...
, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook,
Dan Fogler Daniel Kevin Fogler (born October 20, 1976) is an American actor, comedian and writer. He had his breakout in theatre, winning the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as William Barfée in the Broadway production of '' ...
,
Norbert Leo Butz Norbert Leo Butz (born January 30, 1967) is an American actor and singer known for his work in Broadway theatre. He is a two-time recipient of the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performances in ''Dirty Rotten Scoundrels'' and '' ...
, Eriko Hatsune, Big Bill Morganfield, Will Harrison, and
Scoot McNairy John "Scoot" McNairy (born November 11, 1977) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in films such as '' Monsters'' (2010), ''Argo'', ''Killing Them Softly'' (both 2012), '' Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'' (2016), '' Speak No Evil' ...
in supporting roles. The film's title is derived from the chorus of Dylan's 1965 single "
Like a Rolling Stone "Like a Rolling Stone" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on July 20, 1965, by Columbia Records. Its confrontational lyrics originated in an extended piece of verse Dylan wrote in June 1965, when he returned exhauste ...
". ''A Complete Unknown'' premiered at the
Dolby Theatre The Dolby Theatre (formerly known as the Kodak Theatre) is a live-performance auditorium in the Ovation Hollywood shopping mall and entertainment complex, on Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue (Los Angeles), Highland Avenue, in the Holly ...
in
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
on December 10, 2024, and was released in the United States by
Searchlight Pictures Searchlight Pictures, Inc., formerly known as Fox Searchlight Pictures, is an American arthouse film production and distribution company, which since 2019 is owned by Walt Disney Studios, a division of the Disney Entertainment segment of the ...
on December 25, 2024. The film has grossed $140 million worldwide and received generally positive reviews from critics. It was named one of the top-10 films of 2024 by the
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...
and the
National Board of Review The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered the first major harbinger of the film awards season that ...
, the latter of which also awarded Fanning Best Supporting Actress. The film earned eight nominations at the
97th Academy Awards The 97th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. During the gala, the AMPAS presented Academy Awards (commonly r ...
, including
Best Picture The following is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various films, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Bes ...
,
Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * As ...
, Best Actor (Chalamet), Best Supporting Actor (Norton), and Best Supporting Actress (Barbaro). It also received three nominations at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards (including Best Motion Picture – Drama), four at the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards (winning Best Actor for Chalamet), and six at the
British Academy Film Awards The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs or BAFTA Awards, is an annual film award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to f ...
(including Best Film).


Plot

In 1961,
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
hitchhikes to New York City, seeking to meet his music idol,
Woody Guthrie Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer, songwriter, and composer widely considered to be one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American Left, A ...
, who is dying slowly of
Huntington's disease Huntington's disease (HD), also known as Huntington's chorea, is an incurable neurodegenerative disease that is mostly Genetic disorder#Autosomal dominant, inherited. It typically presents as a triad of progressive psychiatric, cognitive, and ...
. Dylan meets Guthrie in the hospital along with Guthrie's close friend
Pete Seeger Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and social activist. He was a fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s and had a string of hit records in the early 1950s as a member of The Weav ...
. Dylan performs a song he wrote for Guthrie, impressing the two folk musicians. Pete invites Dylan to stay with his family, slowly introducing the newcomer to New York City's folk scene. Following a performance by
Joan Baez Joan Chandos Baez (, ; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing mo ...
, Pete introduces Dylan at an open mic night attended by industry executives and recording industry manager
Albert Grossman Albert Grossman (May 21, 1926 – January 25, 1986) was an American entrepreneur and manager in the American folk music and rock and roll scene. He was famous as the manager of many of the most popular and successful performers of folk and folk ...
. Dylan flirts with Baez and impresses the crowd, prompting Grossman to take him on as a client on the spot. Dylan begins work on an album but is forced by his label to record mostly covers. The record's sales are poor, frustrating Dylan. Dylan meets Sylvie Russo at a concert, charming her with his contrarian opinions and tales of working at a carnival. The two begin a relationship, and he moves into her apartment. Before leaving on a lengthy school trip to Europe, Sylvie has an argument with Dylan. She is upset by his aloof nature and deliberate attempt to conceal his past from her. Despite this, she encourages him to push for recording his original music. While she is away, Dylan capitalizes on political and social unrest to build a following for his socially conscious songwriting. This draws Baez's attention, and the two begin an affair and artistic collaboration. Sylvie becomes suspicious in seeing Dylan's professional closeness with Baez, and by 1965, Dylan and Sylvie have separated. Having achieved stardom but not artistic freedom, Dylan laments that he is beholden to the expectations of the industry and the folk music community. A long-awaited tour with Baez ends in disaster; an argument over Dylan's ego, along with Baez's demands that they play his popular songs instead of new material, leads to Dylan walking off stage midperformance. Dylan's desire to break free of expectations drives him to experiment with electric guitar and rock instruments, a controversial direction within the folk scene, who overwhelmingly prefer simple acoustic arrangements. Dylan pieces together his band and begins recording ''
Highway 61 Revisited ''Highway 61 Revisited'' is the sixth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on August 30, 1965, by Columbia Records. Dylan continued the musical approach of his previous album ''Bringing It All Back Home'' (1965), usi ...
.'' Dylan's new direction is especially worrisome for the
Newport Folk Festival The Newport Folk Festival is an annual American folk-oriented music festival in Newport, Rhode Island, which began in 1959 as a counterpart to the Newport Jazz Festival. The festival was founded by music promoter and Jazz Festival founder Geor ...
planning committee, who have hired Dylan to headline the 1965 event, but fear he may debut his divisive new sound. Dylan invites Sylvie along to the festival, hoping to rekindle his relationship with her in the process. She accepts, but upon watching a duet ("
It Ain't Me Babe "It Ain't Me Babe" is a song by Bob Dylan that originally appeared on his fourth album '' Another Side of Bob Dylan'', which was released in 1964 by Columbia Records. According to music critic Oliver Trager, this song, along with others on the al ...
") between Baez and him, realizes she will never be comfortable in their relationship, becomes upset, and leaves. Dylan follows her, riding his Triumph to the dock from which she is leaving the island, but does not convince her to stay, and they say goodbye, sharing a last cigarette. The committee attempts to influence Dylan to not go electric, eventually resorting to an impassioned plea from Pete, who reminds Dylan that his own life's work is on the line. An intoxicated
Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...
encourages Dylan to play the electric show, and Dylan goes through with his plan. The crowd's reaction is vitriolic, throwing both invective and physical objects at the band. The committee, including Pete, attempts to cut the sound, but is thwarted by Grossman and Pete's wife Toshi. Dylan initially refuses a request from Pete and the festival organizers to perform a folk song as an encore but relents when Cash offers him his acoustic guitar. The next morning, on his way out from Newport, Baez catches Dylan and remarks that he "won", that he finally got the freedom from everyone else that he wanted. Dylan visits Guthrie one last time and listens to a recording of one of Woody's songs before leaving town on his motorcycle.


Cast


Production


Pre-production

In January 2020,
James Mangold James Allen Mangold (born December 16, 1963) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Noted for his versatility in tackling a range of genres, Mangold made his debut as a film director with ''Heavy (film), Heavy'' (1995), and gai ...
was announced to be writing and directing a
biopic A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or group of people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudrama films and histo ...
about Bob Dylan, specifically centered on the controversy surrounding his switch to electric guitars, with
Timothée Chalamet Timothée Hal Chalamet ( ; born December 27, 1995) is an American and French actor. List of awards and nominations received by Timothée Chalamet, His accolades include a Screen Actors Guild Awards, Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to ...
cast as Dylan. At this time, the film was referred to as ''Going Electric''. By October, cinematographer
Phedon Papamichael Phedon Papamichael, American Society of Cinematographers, ASC (, ''Faidon Papamihail''; born February 1962) is a Greek cinematographer and film director, known for his collaborations with directors James Mangold and Alexander Payne. He has been a ...
stated that the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
had put the project into doubt. Nevertheless, Chalamet learned to play the guitar and harmonica, and spent time researching Dylan during the pandemic, visiting the former homes of Dylan in New York City and consulting director
Joel Coen Joel Daniel Coen (born November 29, 1954) is an American filmmaker. Working alongside his brother Ethan, the duo have directed, written, edited and produced many feature films, the most acclaimed of which include '' Blood Simple'' (1984), '' ...
during this time. Mangold had also met with Dylan several times about the film, and stated that he annotated the script while also providing notes to Chalamet. The finished script was partly based on
Elijah Wald Elijah Wald (born 1959) is an American folk blues guitarist, music journalist, and a blues, pop, and cultural music historian. He is a 2002 Grammy Award winner for his liner notes to ''The Arhoolie Records 40th Anniversary Box: The Journey o ...
's book ''Dylan Goes Electric!'' as well as on Mangold's talk with Dylan, and Dylan himself also added lines and a scene to the film. In an October 2023 interview, Chalamet stated he was working with the same team of vocal and movement coaches that worked with
Austin Butler Austin Robert Butler (born August 17, 1991) is an American actor, singer, and model. Butler began his career on television, first in roles on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, most notably on ''Zoey 101'' (2007–2008), and later on teen dramas, ...
for his performance in ''
Elvis Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Presley's sexuall ...
'' (2022). In November 2022, Chalamet stated he was still attached to the film and actively preparing for it, the project having gained momentum again after stalling. In February 2023, the film was officially titled ''A Complete Unknown'' and Mangold was to begin work on the project following his obligations to ''
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny ''Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny'' is a 2023 American action-adventure film directed by James Mangold and written by Mangold, David Koepp, Jez Butterworth, Jez and John-Henry Butterworth. It is the fifth and final installment in Indiana_ ...
'' (2023). Monica Barbaro would enter final negotiations to portray Joan Baez in April. In May,
Elle Fanning Mary Elle Fanning (born April 9, 1998) is an American actress. Her works include both independent films and blockbusters, and her accolades include a National Board of Review Award, in addition to nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and ...
was cast to play Sylvie Russo, a character based on
Suze Rotolo Susan Elizabeth Rotolo (November 20, 1943 – February 25, 2011),''The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia'', 2006, pp. 592–594, Michael Gray, Continuum known as Suze Rotolo ( ), was an American artist, widely known as Bob Dylan's girlfriend from 1961 to ...
, with Mangold announcing
Benedict Cumberbatch Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch (born 19 July 1976) is an English actor. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Benedict Cumberbatch, various accolades, including a BAFTA TV Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Laurenc ...
would be portraying Pete Seeger in the film. Barbaro would also be confirmed for her role, beginning singing and guitar lessons to prepare. Mangold stated in July that the film was not necessarily focused on being a Dylan biopic, but an ensemble drama in the vein of
Robert Altman Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He is considered an enduring figure from the New Hollywood era, known for directing subversive and sat ...
. Boyd Holbrook and
Nick Offerman Nicholas David Offerman (born June 26, 1970) is an American actor. He became widely known for his role as Ron Swanson in the NBC sitcom '' Parks and Recreation'' (2009–2015), for which he received the Television Critics Association Award fo ...
would also join the cast at that time, though Offerman was later replaced by Norbert Leo Butz. In October, P. J. Byrne was noted as being cast. Holbrook appeared as Johnny Cash, whose life story had previously been told by Mangold in ''
Walk the Line ''Walk the Line'' is a 2005 American biographical drama film directed by James Mangold. The screenplay, written by Mangold and Gill Dennis, is based on two autobiographies by the American singer-songwriter Johnny Cash: '' Man in Black: His Own ...
'' (2005) with
Joaquin Phoenix Joaquin Rafael Phoenix ( ; ; born October 28, 1974) is an American actor. Widely described as one of the most preeminent actors of his generation and known for Joaquin Phoenix filmography, his roles as dark, unconventional and eccentric charact ...
in the role; Mangold admitted to casting Holbrook due to their past collaborations and feeling the film could reveal another side of Cash's life, as his previous biopic focused on his
origin story In fiction, an origin story is an account or backstory revealing how a character or group of people become a protagonist or antagonist. In American comic books, it also refers to how characters gained their superpowers and/or the circumstances ...
. In January 2024,
Edward Norton Edward Harrison Norton (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. After graduating from Yale College in 1991 with a degree in history, he worked for a few months in Japan before moving to New York City ...
was revealed to portray the role of Seeger, replacing Cumberbatch, who left due to scheduling issues. Additional casting was announced in March.


Filming

In April 2023, Mangold stated that
principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
would likely begin in August 2023 in New York City and
Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
, but filming was postponed in July due to the
2023 SAG-AFTRA strike From July 14 to November 9, 2023, the American actors' union SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) went on strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Pro ...
. By early 2024, filming was scheduled to begin in late March 2024, and was expected to occur throughout
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
, with scenes set in New York City being filmed in
Jersey City Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous
and Hoboken. Filming began on March 16. Production wrapped by late June 2024. Norton said that during the three months of principal photography, Chalamet was "relentless" in staying immersed in his role as Dylan, not having contact with friends or visitors on set. Chalamet was often referred to as "Bob" on set by Mangold and was listed as "Bob Dylan" on the set
call sheet Daily call sheet is a filmmaking term for the schedule supervised by the assistant director and crafted by the assistant director, using the director's shot list, the production schedule and other logistics considerations. It is issued to the cas ...
. Chalamet abstained from cell phone use allowing him to fully engage in the character without modern distraction.


Music

According to producer Fred Berger, Chalamet sang 40 Dylan songs in the film while also playing guitars and
harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica incl ...
s. All performances were recorded live while filming; Barbaro, Norton, and Holbrook sang and played their own instruments. Sound engineer Tod Maitland revealed that recording was done with period-appropriate microphones and instruments and without the use of
earpiece An in-ear monitor (IEMs), in-ear, or colloquially earpiece is a listening device placed into the ear. More narrowly, the term in-ear monitor is defined as such a device used by musicians, audio engineers and audiophiles to listen to music or to ...
s. Recording for the film occurred at The Village and
Sunset Sound Sunset (or sundown) is the disappearance of the Sun at the end of the Sun path, below the horizon of the Earth (or any other astronomical object in the Solar System) due to its rotation. As viewed from everywhere on Earth, it is a phenomenon th ...
in Los Angeles. The music production team had access to almost 16 hours of unreleased Dylan recordings and old
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
notes, which included lists of vintage microphones the artist used. The team collaborated with Gibson, which lent them archival guitars and made recreations, including two custom J-50's. The
soundtrack album A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television show. The first such album to be commercially released was Walt Disney's ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ( ...
for ''A Complete Unknown'' was released on December 20, 2024, through
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
. It is scheduled for release on physical formats in 2025; a vinyl edition featuring 16 tracks was released on January 24, while the CD with 23 tracks is scheduled for February 28. Two songs from the soundtrack were released on December 4, 2024: "
Like a Rolling Stone "Like a Rolling Stone" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on July 20, 1965, by Columbia Records. Its confrontational lyrics originated in an extended piece of verse Dylan wrote in June 1965, when he returned exhauste ...
" by Chalamet and "
Girl from the North Country "Girl from the North Country" (occasionally known as "Girl ''of'' the North Country") is a song written by Bob Dylan. It was recorded at Columbia Recording Studios in New York City in April 1963, and released the following month as the second tr ...
" by Chalamet and Barbaro. "
A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" is a song written by American musician and Nobel laureate Bob Dylan in the summer of 1962 and recorded later that year for his second studio album, '' The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan'' (1963). Its lyrical structure is based ...
" has been confirmed as a track on the album, which also includes performances from Norton and Holbrook. The album's track listing also includes "Highway 61 Revisited", " Mr. Tambourine Man", "I Was Young When I Left Home", "
Subterranean Homesick Blues "Subterranean Homesick Blues" is a song by Bob Dylan, recorded on January 14, 1965, and released as a single by Columbia Records, catalogue number 43242, on March 8. It is the first track on the album ''Bringing It All Back Home'', released som ...
", and " The Times They Are a-Changin'. The film additionally features a performance of "
Song to Woody "Song to Woody" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan and released on his debut album, ''Bob Dylan,'' in 1962. The song conveys Dylan's appreciation of American folk legend Woody Guthrie. The song is one of two original compos ...
".


Biographical accuracy

''A Complete Unknown'' is a fictionalized account of Bob Dylan's life covering the period from the time of his arrival in New York in 1961 to the 1965
Newport Folk Festival The Newport Folk Festival is an annual American folk-oriented music festival in Newport, Rhode Island, which began in 1959 as a counterpart to the Newport Jazz Festival. The festival was founded by music promoter and Jazz Festival founder Geor ...
. In the film, the timeline of events has been compressed or altered, and events have been transposed, amalgamated or simply invented. Individuals known to have been important to Dylan in this period including his future wife Sara Lownds have been omitted, while some characters are fictitious. Dylan himself was revealed to have added at least one unspecified "totally inaccurate" scene into the film. A major character is introduced as Sylvie Russo, but who is actually based on
Suze Rotolo Susan Elizabeth Rotolo (November 20, 1943 – February 25, 2011),''The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia'', 2006, pp. 592–594, Michael Gray, Continuum known as Suze Rotolo ( ), was an American artist, widely known as Bob Dylan's girlfriend from 1961 to ...
as Dylan had requested that the film not use her real identity. Angie Martoccio of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' described the Russo character as "Rotolo in all but name." A number of scenes with her are not based on facts, for example Rotolo did not attend the 1965 Newport Folk Festival with Dylan as she had already long broken up with him. Similarly, a number of scenes depicting Dylan's relationship with Joan Baez are not factual; for example their relationship did not begin during the 1962
Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis () in Cuba, or the Caribbean Crisis (), was a 13-day confrontation between the governments of the United States and the Soviet Union, when American deployments of Nuclear weapons d ...
, but a year later. They also broke up before the 1965 Newport Festival. Early in the film, Dylan is shown to have first met
Pete Seeger Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and social activist. He was a fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s and had a string of hit records in the early 1950s as a member of The Weav ...
and
Woody Guthrie Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer, songwriter, and composer widely considered to be one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American Left, A ...
in a hospital in New Jersey. This did not happen; Dylan first met Guthrie at a house in New Jersey (but he did later visit Guthrie many times at the hospital) and only wrote "
Song to Woody "Song to Woody" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan and released on his debut album, ''Bob Dylan,'' in 1962. The song conveys Dylan's appreciation of American folk legend Woody Guthrie. The song is one of two original compos ...
" after meeting him, while Seeger first met Dylan in
Greenwich Village Greenwich Village, or simply the Village, is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street (Manhattan), 14th Street to the north, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the s ...
. Dylan also did not appear on Pete Seeger's TV show, and the bluesman Jesse Moffette is an invention. While
Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...
and Dylan were longtime pen pals, Cash was not present at the 1965 festival as depicted in the film. Cash did, however, gift Dylan his guitar the previous year. The climactic scene of his controversial performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival where someone in the audience shouted "Judas!" actually came from a concert in Manchester, England in 1966. The scene where Seeger became so angry over Dylan's performance that he considered using an ax to cut the microphone cables is a recognition of a legend and not an actual fact. The director Mangold said that the film is "not a Wikipedia entry", indicating that he did not "feel a fealty to a documentary level of facts". Mangold also said: "It's not really a Bob Dylan
biopic A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or group of people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudrama films and histo ...
. It's a kind of ensemble piece about this moment in time in the early '60s in New York ... and this wanderer who comes in from Minnesota with a fresh name and a fresh outlook on life ndbecomes a star."


Release

The film premiered at the
Dolby Theatre The Dolby Theatre (formerly known as the Kodak Theatre) is a live-performance auditorium in the Ovation Hollywood shopping mall and entertainment complex, on Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue (Los Angeles), Highland Avenue, in the Holly ...
in Hollywood on December 10, 2024. It was released by
Searchlight Pictures Searchlight Pictures, Inc., formerly known as Fox Searchlight Pictures, is an American arthouse film production and distribution company, which since 2019 is owned by Walt Disney Studios, a division of the Disney Entertainment segment of the ...
in the United States on December 25, 2024, and was then released in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
on January 17, 2025. During its first weekend in UK and
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
, the film would top the box office. The film would also have a limited
IMAX IMAX is a proprietary system of High-definition video, high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and movie theater, theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (image), aspect ratio (approximately ei ...
engagement beginning January 3, 2025. It was featured in the Limelight section of the 54th International Film Festival Rotterdam to be screened in February 2025. The film had its theatrical preview in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
on January 15, 2025. It was released in the rest of France on January 29, 2025.


Marketing

To promote the film,
Levi's Levi Strauss & Co. ( ) is an American clothing company known worldwide for its Levi's ( ) brand of denim jeans. It was founded in May 1853 when German-Jewish immigrant Levi Strauss moved from Buttenheim, Bavaria, to San Francisco, California, ...
announced a capsule collection inspired by Dylan, who often wore the brand's garments during the period reflected in the film. Costume designer
Arianne Phillips Arianne Phillips (born April 26, 1963) is an American costume designer. She received a Costume Designers Guild Award as well as nominations for four Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards, and a Tony Award. Early life and career Ph ...
worked with design director Paul O'Neill on the research, and sourcing of Levi's pieces, to recreate the original outfits worn by Dylan. The guitar company Gibson, from which Dylan sourced most of his instruments, also announced a collection inspired by guitars placed in the movie.


Home media

The film was released on VOD platforms on February 25, 2025, and on
Hulu Hulu (, ) is an American Subscription business model, subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company. It was launched on October 29, 2007, initially as ...
on March 27, 2025. It was released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and
Blu-ray Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-defin ...
on April 1, 2025 by
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Inc. (abbreviated as SPHE) is the home entertainment distribution division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony. Background SPHE is responsible for the distribution of the Sony Pictures libra ...
.


Reception


Box office

, ''A Complete Unknown'' has grossed $75 million in the United States and Canada, and $65 million in other territories, for a worldwide gross of $140 million. In the United States and Canada, ''A Complete Unknown'' was released alongside ''
Nosferatu ''Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror'' () is a 1922 silent film, silent German Expressionism (cinema), German Expressionist vampire film directed by F. W. Murnau from a screenplay by Henrik Galeen. It stars Max Schreck as Count Orlok, a vampire who ...
'', '' Babygirl'', and '' The Fire Inside'', and was projected to gross around $15 million from 2,835 theaters in its five-day opening weekend. The film made $7.2 million on its first day (including $1.4 million from
Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas, the festival commemorating nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus. Christmas Day is observance of Christmas by country, observed around the world, and Christma ...
previews), and then $4.4 million on its second. It went on to debut to a total of $23.2 million over the five days (including $11.7 million in its three-day opening weekend), beating projections and finishing in sixth. In its second weekend, the film made $8.2 million, bringing its box office total to $41.8 million to surpass '' The Menu'' as the highest-grossing Searchlight title domestically after Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019. The film made a respective $5.1 million, $3.7 million, and $3.1 million in its third, fourth, and fifth weekends.


Critical response

Audiences polled by
CinemaScore CinemaScore is an American market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts from the data. Background Ed Mintz, who ...
gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, while those surveyed by
PostTrak PostTrak is a U.S.-based service that surveys film audiences for film studios. History The service conducts surveys in the top 20 markets in the U.S. and Canada with the use of polling cards and electronic kiosks. A PostTrak report for a fil ...
gave it a 93% overall positive score, with 76% saying they would "definitely recommend" it. In a review for ''
RogerEbert.com ''RogerEbert.com'' is an American film review website that archives reviews written by film critic Roger Ebert for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' and also shares other critics' reviews and essays. The website, underwritten by the ''Chicago Sun-Times ...
'', Brian Tallerico awarded the film 3-1/2 out of 4 stars. He praised the "solid performances, unshowy direction, and organic editing".
Peter Bradshaw Peter Nicholas Bradshaw (born 19 June 1962) is a British writer and film critic. He has been chief film critic at ''The Guardian'' since 1999, and is a contributing editor at ''Esquire'' magazine. Early life and education Bradshaw was educat ...
of ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' similarly praised the performances and gave the film 5 out of 5 stars, calling Chalamet "hypnotic" as Dylan. Writing for ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'', Kyle Smith also applauded Chalamet's ability to capture different facets of Dylan's personality, including the songwriter's "supercilious air" and his creative genius. Smith especially liked the duet of the song "
It Ain't Me Babe "It Ain't Me Babe" is a song by Bob Dylan that originally appeared on his fourth album '' Another Side of Bob Dylan'', which was released in 1964 by Columbia Records. According to music critic Oliver Trager, this song, along with others on the al ...
" between Monica Barbaro (as
Joan Baez Joan Chandos Baez (, ; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing mo ...
) and Chalamet, describing it "as spectacular". Filmmakers
Oliver Stone William Oliver Stone (born ) is an American filmmaker. Stone is an acclaimed director, tackling subjects ranging from the Vietnam War and American politics to musical film, musical Biographical film, biopics and Crime film, crime dramas. He has ...
,
William Goldenberg William Goldenberg (born November 2, 1959) is an American film editor and director. He has more than twenty film and television credits since 1992. He won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing for the film ''Argo'' (2012), and has been nominate ...
, and
Paul Schrader Paul Joseph Schrader (; born July 22, 1946) is an American screenwriter, film director, and film critic. He first became known for writing the screenplay of Martin Scorsese's ''Taxi Driver'' (1976). He later continued his collaboration with Scor ...
also praised the film. In a mixed review, John Nugent of ''
Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
'' gave the film 3 out of 5 stars. While he praised the performances, Nugent disliked that the movie "plays it safe" and "struggles to find something fresh to say". A negative review from
Richard Brody Richard Brody (born January 22, 1958) is an American film critic, filmmaker and author. Background Brody grew up in Roslyn, New York. He is Jewish and has personally identified as an atheist. Brody attended Princeton University, receiving a B ...
of ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...
'' viewed the movie as a hollow representation of Dylan's career, writing: "The movie offers answers that range from empty to artificial, leaving out the practicalities and manipulating dates and names in order to center the drama on a small number of personalities". In another negative review for ''
The Forward ''The Forward'' (), formerly known as ''The Jewish Daily Forward'', is an American news media organization for a Jewish American audience. Founded in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily socialist newspaper, ''The New York Times'' reported that Set ...
'', Seth Rogovoy expresses dislike for the film as a "conventional Hollywood biopic", criticizing the direction as a "mainstream route", "offering a superficial, simplified gloss on this remarkable story", as well as criticizing the historical inaccuracy and contrasting the film's approach with documentary films such as ''
Dont Look Back '' Look Back'' is a 1967 American documentary film directed by D. A. Pennebaker that covers Bob Dylan's 1965 concert tour in England. In 1998, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library ...
'' in capturing Dylan's persona.


Accolades


Notes


See also

* ''
No Direction Home ''No Direction Home: Bob Dylan'' is a 2005 documentary film directed by Martin Scorsese that traces the life of Bob Dylan, and his impact on 20th-century American popular music and culture. The film focuses on the period between Dylan's arriva ...
'', a 2005 documentary film about Bob Dylan, his emergence in the Greenwich Village folk scene, and his transition to electric music, directed by
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
. * ''
I'm Not There ''I'm Not There'' is a 2007 musical drama film directed by Todd Haynes, who co-wrote the screenplay with Oren Moverman, based on a story by Haynes. An experimental biographical film, it is inspired by the life and music of American singer-so ...
'', a 2007 experimental biopic inspired by the life of Bob Dylan, directed by
Todd Haynes Todd Haynes (; born January 2, 1961) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. His films span four decades with themes examining the personalities of well-known musicians, dysfunctional and dystopian societies, and blurred gender ...
. * ''
Inside Llewyn Davis ''Inside Llewyn Davis'' () is a 2013 period black comedy drama film written, directed, produced, and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen. Set in 1961, the film follows one week in the life of Llewyn Davis, played by Oscar Isaac in his breakthrough ...
'', a 2013
Coen brothers Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, together known as the Coen brothers (), are an American filmmaking duo. Their films span many genres and styles, which they frequently subvert or parody. Among their most acclaimed works are '' Blood Simple'' (198 ...
film inspired by Dave Van Ronk's memoir, ''The Mayor of MacDougal Street''. The film follows a fictional week in the life of a struggling New York City folk singer in 1961, leading up to Dylan's historic debut at
The Gaslight Cafe The Gaslight Cafe was a coffeehouse in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York. Also called The Village Gaslight, it opened in 1958 and became a venue for folk music and other musical acts. Al Aronowitz. . Retrieved June 25, 2 ...
.


References


External links

*
Official Screenplay
{{DEFAULTSORT:Complete Unknown, A 2024 films 2024 biographical drama films 2024 musical films 2020s American films 2020s English-language films 2020s historical drama films 2020s musical drama films American biographical drama films American historical drama films American musical drama films American rock music films Biographical films about musicians Cultural depictions of Bob Dylan Cultural depictions of Johnny Cash Cultural depictions of Woody Guthrie English-language biographical drama films English-language historical drama films English-language musical drama films Films about Bob Dylan Films affected by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike Films based on non-fiction books Films directed by James Mangold Films produced by James Mangold Films set in 1961 Films set in 1965 Films set in New York City Films set in Rhode Island Films set in the 1960s Films shot in New Jersey Films shot in New York City Films with screenplays by James Mangold Films with screenplays by Jay Cocks IMAX films Searchlight Pictures films