A Complete Unknown (2024)

Mangold delivers an accessible, rousing biopic that gets close to Dylan’s enigma through strong performances, especially Chalamet’s, without propping up the hero’s likable traits alone.

The critic finds it a richly detailed biopic that engrosses even non-fans, highlighting Chalamet's extraordinary performance as far deeper than an impersonation and the film's capture of the era's music scene and cultural shifts.

Praises Chalamet’s convincing and complex interpretation of Dylan, highlighting his musical performances and the supporting cast, especially Norton as Seeger; notes some dramatic licence but overall a strong biopic.

The critic finds the film an enjoyable fiction about Dylan's early years, anchored by Chalamet's ideal portrayal of the enigmatic, sometimes cruel singer. Chalamet's performance and the power of the music stand out as highlights.

Mangold delivers an accessible and rewarding biopic with a riveting central performance from Chalamet that captures Dylan's coolness, genius and truculence.

The film succeeds by focusing on the supporting characters’ experiences in Dylan’s orbit rather than trying to explain the man himself, with standout turns from Norton, Barbaro and Fanning.

The critic calls it a straightforward, clear-eyed musical drama that deftly avoids biopic clichés, with superb naturalistic performances especially from Chalamet and strong musical renditions. They note it plays it safe with a sense of inevitability and offers little fresh insight into its subject.

The critic praises Chalamet's near-magical performance as Dylan, capturing genius and callousness, along with strong supporting turns especially from Elle Fanning. The film is seen as affectionate yet realistic about visionaries' flaws, with vivid live performances.

The biopic lapses into incoherence by rushing through Dylan’s life and playing loose with timelines, defaulting to stale tropes while diminishing supporting figures like Seeger and Baez.

The film is carried by Chalamet’s electrifying performance and transporting music sequences, but the distant protagonist and rushed handling of key conflicts leave an emotional hole.

The film offers a charismatic lead performance from Chalamet but remains more interested in Dylan as a phenomenon than as a person, often resorting to heavy-handed signposting.

The critic finds Chalamet the best thing about the film with a charming, believable performance and emotional heft, but notes it suffers from typical biopic issues and offers little new insight into Dylan beyond a string of musical set pieces.

It's an entertaining but rarely gripping portrait that eschews some biopic cliches but lacks compelling conflicts or insight into creativity; praises Chalamet’s performance and musical numbers.

Chalamet captures the look and voice but the film is lifeless and incurious, with no spark or dramatic tension as the hero remains a blank slate.

A riveting biopic that captures Dylan’s enigmatic spirit through Chalamet’s formidable performance, examining his genius and flaws without being fawning; strong commercial and awards potential.

The critic finds it a heartfelt and dutiful biopic that struggles to balance conventional music biopic notes with Dylan’s shapeshifting artistry, praising Chalamet’s commitment and the focus on formative years but noting it falls short of capturing his essence fully.

The film strikes a rare balance between legend and vulnerability in its portrait of young Dylan. Chalamet's transformative lead performance and the strong ensemble, especially Barbaro and Norton, are singled out for praise alongside Mangold's immersive direction.

Mangold and Chalamet deliver a magnetic, superb straight biopic that captures Dylan's early rise and electric shift with punk-rock spirit. The phenomenal ensemble and Chalamet's standout singing/guitar performance are highlighted as exceptional.

The critic calls the film a rich and thrilling anti-biopic centered on four years in young Bob Dylan's life. Chalamet's note-perfect, astonishing performance and the authentic live performances of the songs are singled out for the highest praise.

Mangold delivers a strong, music-focused musical biopic on a narrow slice of Dylan's early career that largely works despite genre conventions. Chalamet's committed performance and the emphasis on live performances of the songs stand out as highlights.

Mangold’s focused early-years portrait succeeds thanks to Chalamet’s career-best, utterly convincing turn as Dylan, complete with live singing and playing. The music sequences crackle with energy and the ensemble (Norton, Barbaro, Fanning, Holbrook) adds depth, making it a compelling if surface-level biopic.

The film excels in its tangible recreation of the 1960s Greenwich Village folk scene, live musical performances, and Chalamet's inscrutable yet dedicated portrayal of Dylan. It is undercut by reliance on standard biopic tropes, especially around the central romantic relationship.

Mangold delivers a polished, crowd-pleasing chapter of Dylan's early years that prioritizes the music and period atmosphere over strict accuracy or deep characterisation of the women. Chalamet's credible singing and guitar work help carry the film despite some thin scripting.

Mangold plays it safe with a conventional but entertaining biopic that benefits from Chalamet's solid (if impressionistic) turn and the wall-to-wall Dylan songs. The film is polished and enjoyable yet overly generic and risk-averse compared to the real artist's edge.

The film is a conventional, hagiographic biopic that offers little beyond a greatest-hits playlist of Dylan’s songs and well-known anecdotes. Chalamet’s committed but mannered performance and strong supporting turns, especially Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, are highlights amid the formulaic storytelling.

The critic finds the film a superficial and corny biopic that offers little new insight into Dylan. Chalamet's flawless, commanding performance and the impeccable period recreation are the main elements singled out for praise.