A Complete Unknown

2024
R
2h 21m

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

16K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Timothée Chalamet in A Complete Unknown (2024)

At the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, a young Bob Dylan shakes up his act on the folk music scene by going electric and siring rock as the voice of a generation - defining one of the most transformative moments in 20th century music.

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Docudrama Period Drama Biography Drama Music

New York, 1961. An unknown 19-year-old named Bob Dylan arrives with his revolutionary talent. He forges relationships with music icons of Greenwich Village on his meteoric rise, culminating ... Read allNew York, 1961. An unknown 19-year-old named Bob Dylan arrives with his revolutionary talent. He forges relationships with music icons of Greenwich Village on his meteoric rise, culminating in a performance that reverberates worldwide.New York, 1961. An unknown 19-year-old named Bob Dylan arrives with his revolutionary talent. He forges relationships with music icons of Greenwich Village on his meteoric rise, culminating in a performance that reverberates worldwide.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

16K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 6 BAFTA Awards
- 15 wins & 100 nominations total

Videos11

Timothée Chalamet Says Bob Dylan Wrote Some of His Lines in 'A Complete Unknown'

Clip 1:39

2024 in 24 Films

Clip 7:16

The 2025 Awards Contenders to Know Right Now

Photos192

+ 187

Mentors, Legends, and Making Up Your Past

Timothée Chalamet, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, and Edward Norton discuss their experiences portraying iconic figures from the 1960s folk music scene.

'A Complete Unknown' interview

4:17

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Monica Barbaro and Boyd Holbrook did all their own singing in the movie.

Goofs
At Newport 1965, stage monitors are visible when Bob and his electric band are performing. But no monitors were actually used at Newport that year, and they did not become common for performing musicians until a few years later.

Quotes
Bob Dylan: I don't think they want to hear what I want to play.
Johnny Cash: Who's they?
Bob Dylan: You know, the people who decide what folk music is or isn't.
Johnny Cash: Fuck them, I wanna hear you. Go track some mud on somebody's carpet. Make some noise, B.D.

Connections
Featured in The Graham Norton Show: Timothée Chalamet/Colman Domingo/Andrew Garfield/James Corden/Ruth Jones/Laufey Lín Bing Jónsdóttir (2024)

Soundtracks
There But For Fortune
Written by Phil Ochs
Performed by Monica Barbaro

User reviews199

Review

Featured review

9/10

They Got It Right - A Complete Unknown

I lived through this era personally. I loved this music as it started, and evolved from 1961 to the present day. I remember strolling through the Village feeling more alive than at any other time of my life. I went to the early shows of Bob Dylan, and thought he was a genius.

This film, A Complete Unknown, captures that genius.

The writer-director, James Mangold, does a magnificent job of capturing the atmosphere of the 1960s with great authenticity. His inclusion of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Kennedy Assassination mirror the anxiety of the times.

The lead actor, TImothee Chalamet, does an outstanding job as Dylan. He is amply supported by a powerhouse cast led by Edward Norton, who, in my opinion, is a shoe-in for Best Supporting Actor. In addition, the intense performance of Monica Barbaro is more than enough to win the Best Supporting Actress award in 2025.

The story about Dylan's arrival in the Village in the early 60s was done with great detail and authenticity. His tempestuous relationship with Joan Baez is captured with genuine emotion. The cinematography and set designs are letter-perfect. I believe this film to be the best of 2024.