I watched A Complete Unknown (2024), the Bob Dylan biopic starring adorable moppet Timothée Chalamet, last night and it left me wondering a couple of things. First, why on earth did young women put up with Bob Dylan’s bullshit when he was a young man? And second, why did I put up with similar bullshit from massively less talented young men when I was a young woman?
Third question that came to mind was, “Why do I constantly get sucked into watching musician biopics and walk away asking the same questions every time?” Because face it, the musical landscape is populated almost entirely by assholes taking advantage of everyone around them, and everyone around them just allowing them to wreck lives and cause nothing but heartache because they’re visionaries. No, ma’am, they’re assholes.
So, with that out of the way, let me just say that I found A Complete Unknown adequate. Chalamet does a pretty believable 20-something Bob Dylan, and the press surrounding the film asserts that he did all of his own vocals (as did the Edward Norton, who played Pete Seeger, and Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez), and he acquits himself well in the music department. Elle Fanning, who I super adore in general, does as much as she can with the role of Sylvie, the fictionalized version of Dylan’s real life girlfriend at the beginning of his career. There’s not a whole lot to work with because Sylvie is more of a plot device to bounce off Dylan’s rising fame and affair with Baez, which I kind of think is meant to make him look deep and tortured, but just really makes him look like (say it with me) an asshole. He’s an asshole to Baez, who he just negs constantly and yet somehow she’s entranced and spends the entirety of the film standing in the shadows with what I think is supposed to be a look of wonder at Dylan’s massive talent, but looks kind of like a thousand-yard-stare.
And most importantly of all, he’s an asshole to Pete Seeger, literally the nicest guy in folk music. Like, I can somewhat set aside the assholery to the women characters because that’s expected, even cliche in films like this. And Dylan was, in fact, a notorious real-life asshole to the women in his life, so ok. Not exactly ground-breaking. But to be an asshole to Pete Fucking Seeger??? Who the fuck do you think you are, Bobby Dylan? Where do you get off?
(Yes, yes, I know. Seeger and Dylan had a famous “falling out” over “artistic vision” and “musical direction.” I know this is based in fact, but I still stand by my assertion that making this the centerpiece of the plot of this film, it only serves to make Dylan look more unsympathetic than even just being a general lying bag of dicks to the women in his life. It’s the literal example of biting the hand that feeds you. But of course, it’s cool, because it’s Bob Dylan, boy genius, ugh gag me with a harmonica.)
So what about the costumes? Arianne Phillips, whose sweet spot seems to be mid-20th century clothing having designed the costumes for Walk the Line (2005), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), and Don’t Worry Darling (2022), does such a good job making the clothes look believably real that I almost forgot I was watching a period piece. Though, truthfully, there’s not a lot from this period that would look dated or out of place currently. Looks that I, or my immediate friend circle, have absolutely have worn in the last few years include:
While there’s no big fabulous dresses in the film, it’s still got a lot of good everyday early-to-mid-1960s clothing in it. So if that’s your jam, give it a watch. Otherwise, you’re better off just listening to a bunch of Bob Dylan records and browsing his Wikipedia entry.
Have you seen A Complete Unknown (2024)? Tell us what you thought of it in the comments!
Find this frock flick at:
Haven’t watched it yet, but will soon. Going to love the clothes as I wore them through the 60s and don’t regret it (unlike the 70s and 80s). I grew up in the 1950s listening to The Weavers, so loved Pete Seeger and his amazing voice from a very early age. He was phenomenal in concert. Cousins gave me my first Joan Baez album for my fourteenth birthday. While I could admire Dylan’s poetry, I wasn’t quite such a fan, which you make sound like a wise choice.
I remember when Seeger was still actively touring in the late-90s/early-2000s. He was such a lovely person, so willing to share music with literally anyone who approached him, so I’ll admit I feel very protective of him, even his portrayal in this film, lol.
I was born in the 70s, but my mom is from the same generation as Dylan, so I grew up with his music, Seeger’s music, Baez’s music, the Guthries’ music (both Woody and Arlo), and every other folk, folk rock, and blues folk rock band/singer/songwriter from this period. It’s practically part of my DNA at this point.
I agree wholeheartedly with everything that you said. Especially about Elle Fanning as Sylvia. Dylan’s real-life girlfriend at the time, Suze Rotolo, wrote a whole book about their relationship and she had agency and purpose unlike Sylvia who seemed to loose all of that after falling for Dylan who came across as a whiny child at times.
You nailed my general issue with pretty much every film about a male artistic visionary, from Beethoven to Bob Dylan… the women in their lives get reduced to 2D props with no agency, no spark, nothing. I think the only film that didn’t do this, mainly because they COULDN’T without more or less erasing the female lead entirely, was Walk the Line. Can you imagine if June Carter Cash was portrayed as nothing more than a shadow in the wings?? LOL
I did see it and it reminded me so much of Inside Llewyn Davis, where a folk musician in the 1960s wanders around being an asshole to everyone for no particular reason for 2 hours (ILD even has a (faux) young Bob Dylan cameo at the end). I love the fashions of 1960s New York but I’m in agreement with you that watching musicians be assholes, with no or only brief moments of accountability, because they’re creative geniuses holds little appeal for me (at least Rocketman made Elton work for his redemption).
Reluctantly, I love Dylan’s early work. We knew he was a dick then because of the documentary he made, “Don’t Look Back.” But there’s no denying the quality of his work.
However, watch the songwriter and member of the Bonzo Dogs, Neil Innes doing his impression of Dylan (it’s on YouTube). It’s impeccable. “I suffered for my music. Now it’s your turn.”
I never got the point to this whiny and narcissistic guy, anyway.
And if you sew, the big three have 70s (and 80s) patterns under the tab ‘vintage.’ Including some I know I once sewed.
My sister got rid of both the Biba outfit I made and my Pucci fabric dress.
Your sister owes you! I thought the wardrobe for ACU was spot-on. (Barbaro’s efforts at being Baez were okay, but she would have made a better Mimi Baez Farina.)
I find it fascinating to read women comment about how Dylan treats the women in the movie. Let’s stick to the movie, first. Joan is clearly the seductress who knows she can reach another level by getting first cracks at his songs. As for Sylvie, she breaks his heart in the film after convincing him to focus on his own music and the times. She breaks it off because as someone who is confident about her own place in the world cannot handle being a second fiddle to this mammoth star. Her choice. The reality only adds to this story. Suze actually tells him after six weeks that she will be away for six months (hence boots of Spanish leather). In her book she treasures her time with him but says she just couldn’t handle the public exposure. As to Baez, at Newport when she is about to sing it ain’t me babe with size in the wings, introduces the song by saying Dylan wrote it about a relationship that went on too long. nasty. No question Dylan in later years had his issues with women and could be criticized for that but, if you are sticking to the movie, he is a kid caught in a whirlwind with Sylvie and tries as best he can he can to deal with it.
I really enjoyed this movie, and I think part of why was what you mentioned about the costumes, which I really loved. It felt immediate and real. I also grew up with all the music – my parents were in high school in the late 60s/early 70s – so that’s probably a big part of it. Dylan’s schmucky personality weighed the movie down a bit but Chalamet plays it so well, and it’s far enough outside his usual schtick that I was annoyed he didn’t win an Oscar (same re: Norton, who was so perfectly Pete Seeger, I’m still in awe).
I came out of the cinema wishing it had been a movie about Pete Seeger and his family. I would watch Edward Norton play the nicest guy in folk music for days.
Dylan, not so much.