A COMPLETE UNKNOWN

This film follows Bob Dylan from his arrival in New York to the infamous appearance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, infamous because he chose to be backed by an electric rock band. 

The story of how Dylan moved away from his folk roots is one I'm familiar with having already watched the excellent Scorsese documentary 'No Direction Home'  but Edward Norton does a fine job here playing Pete Seeger, enough to make this aspect of the film watchable.   

There are two other relationships of note - one with Sylvie (a fictionalised version of a real girlfriend of Dylan’s) and the potentially more interesting one with Joan Baez.  I was pleased that Baez takes no nonsense from Dylan in this telling of his story - she's no victim.  Their scenes together are memorable even if their relationship doesn't get resolved in any emotionally satisfying way. 

And that's the key problem with this film - it's all a bit bloodless and unengaging.  The title has a double meaning, suggesting that Dylan is an unknowable person.  Unfortunately it is hard to make an involving film about someone who is always hiding behind a persona, and who often acts as a bit of a jerk.

The only scene which really came to life for me was one towards the end where Dylan and Baez are singing on stage together, with Sylvie looking on in despair, knowing she can never  be a part of Dylan's world.  The follow-up scene between her and Dylan at the ferry where she says goodbye to him for good is also a highlight, and it is the only time in the film where we get to see a glimpse of some vulnerability from Dylan - a great piece of acting from Timothée Chalamet as he conveys this in the subtlest of facial expression.  

Having said all this I had a good time watching the film, mainly down to Chalamet's staggeringly good performance as Dylan, the fine supporting cast, and of course above all else the incredible music.