A COMPLETE UNKNOWN (2024)

The great artists of the world critically reflect life back at us with their words, images and bodies, and nothing but the truth will be recognized or tolerated. It is such a lofty endeavour that even the act of pursuing it fascinates, because this hunt reveals the only and most heartbreaking truth of all. A truth so fundamental that even the truest of artists must contend with it, because even the act of pure expression doesn’t free one from this basic human pitfall and the artist biopic highlights this most explicitly. The truth is: there is always a cost. As I watched the recent Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown enjoying this meditation on art making, I was struck by the uniqueness of Dylan’s approach to living and making music. He is depicted as someone who really does give his life and energy to expressing the hard truths, and as he experiences disappointments with success, instead of thrashing about with anger, drugs, womanizing and the like (which is always fun to watch), Timothée Chalamet gracefully embodies a man, an artist, who doesn’t explicitly change or attempt to change. His tastes and music evolve, but from beginning to end his insufferable self-absolution, disdain and often jerky demeanour is never exchanged for outward humility or surrender. His wrestlings remain internal and are merely implied by his exhausted resolve. He will keep on truckin’ because that’s what he does and it’s the men and women around him (Edward Norton, Elle Fanning and Monica Barbaro) who suffer, as is usually the case. And as for the stand that he takes by way of his art, what is his would-be cost, his great dilemma and burden to break free from, are the expectations and oppressive ways of…folk music? I mean, his battle is a tad silly. He sorta leaves the genre behind, breaking a few hearts and enriching the world as he went, but it all left me a little confused and wondering: Did Dylan subvert the universal truth that there is always a cost? Clearly Dylan’s music reflects that his mind was a swirl of complex thoughts that were ultimately wrestled into poignant, brilliant poems, but I wonder if his self-assuredness in his rebellions and disdain for those who loved him and his music meant that he saw battles where there were none. I mean, feeling oppressed by folk music is pretty petulant if you ask me, it was almost as if he yearned for there to be cost, because there had to be a reason he was such an asshole. And the film is non judgemental about all of this. It’s simply the story of an unknowable cocky man who, quite rightly, believes in himself and makes no apologies for it. He seems to have learned nothing or have any real regrets. We’re not used to this in our stories about extreme choices. And I respect that. It is the truth after all.

WATCH OR NOT: WATCH

Additional musings: Instead of repeating the cliché, albeit important Dylan songs throughout the movie, I was hoping for some more deep cuts. I mean, it’s not very Dylan to only play the greatest hits.