Here's What Bob Dylan Thinks About A Complete Unknown

The Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown," directed by James Mangold and starring Timonthée Chalamet in the title role, was met with a wave of critical approval upon its theatrical release in December 2024. Whereas other recent music biopics such as the Amy Winehouse movie "Back to Black" have been controversial among fans, critics have been generally impressed by Mangold's film. In particular, reviewers were astounded by Chalamet's portrayal of Dylan, with The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw describing his performance as "hypnotic." The film is also notable for Chalamet's numerous musical performances of Dylan's early work, with the actor having spent five years learning to accurately sing and play like the "Mr. Tambourine Man" performer. Some have compared his uncanny portrayal akin to the work Jamie Foxx did in embodying Ray Charles for "Ray" in 2004 and suggested that like Foxx, Chalamet might win an Oscar for best actor.

Much of the appeal of "A Complete Unknown" is that it shines a light on a singularly elusive and conflicting figure. Despite being the voice of a generation, Dylan was deeply mysterious, keeping his cards close to his chest and never revealing what he really thought and felt behind his dark sunglasses. Indeed, he rarely gives interviews or makes public statements in support of media involving him. But for "A Complete Unknown," the songwriter was willing to make an exception.

In 2024, Bob Dylan finally and unexpectedly embraced social media in a way he never had before, much to the surprise of many fans. His chosen account on X, formerly Twitter,  evolved from a platform seemingly run by his team to announce details of tours, new music, and reissues into a space for the songwriter to share his thoughts on other artists. On December 4, Dylan took to X to share his thoughts on the then-upcoming "A Complete Unknown," writing: "There's a movie about me opening soon called A Complete Unknown (what a title!). Timothee Chalamet is starring in the lead role. Timmy's a brilliant actor so I'm sure he's going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me." Chalamet responded to the praise on X the following day, reposting Dylan's message on his own account with a reply: "Floored. I am so grateful. Thank you Bob[.]" 

Chalamet wasn't the only artist connected to the film that Dylan had praise for, either. "The film's taken from Elijah Wald's Dylan Goes Electric — a book that came out in 2015," the legendary singer-songwriter wrote. "It's a fantastic retelling of events from the early '60s that led up to the fiasco at Newport. After you've seen the movie read the book."

Timothée Chalamet is one of Hollywood hottest young actors, and he has built a devoted fanbase in the years since he first became an icon as the star of 2017's "Call Me by Your Name." One testament to his immense popularity was a 2024 Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest. The event was held in Washington Square Park and made headlines around the world when the actor himself made a surprise appearance alongside 10,000 fans.

Despite entering his ninth decade, Bob Dylan himself has also maintained his profile in recent years, with acclaimed studio albums like 2020's "Rough and Rowdy Ways" and an incessant touring schedule. He also won the Nobel Prize for literature in 2016. However, there is no doubt that Chalamet's performance in "A Complete Unknown" has cast the spotlight firmly back onto the songwriter (and prompted renewed interest in his love life). 

In December 2024, shortly before the film's release, Rolling Stone reported that "Song to Woody," a comparatively obscure early track that nevertheless features in "A Complete Unknown," saw its daily streams jump from 4,000 to 55,000. Spotify data also showed that streams for his discography had quadrupled in a year, suggesting a new dawning of interest in his music among younger listeners. Dylan himself is not the beneficiary of this uptick of interest, having sold the rights to his back catalog to Universal Music Publishing Group in 2020. However, he may expect to see a slew of younger fans at upcoming shows.