Timothée Chalamet captivates as Bob Dylan in a fascinating but frustrating biopic

Where biopics are known for portraying their subjects as larger-than-life figures to the detriment of their story and humanization, A complete stranger
relies on the enigmatic nature of Bob Dylan. James Mangold, who directed and co-wrote the screenplay with Jay Cocks, seems to want to keep the singer as far away from arm's reach as possible. I came away from the film feeling like I learned nothing new or interesting about Bob Dylan beyond what we already know about him. This appears to be intentional, but it's no less frustrating from a storytelling perspective.

The film is based on the book by Elijah Wald Dylan goes electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan and the night that divided the sixtiesand indeed it includes the “night that divided the 60s”, portrayed as a cacophony of disparate sounds – Dylan’s music, the crowd’s boos and applause, Bob Seeger (Edward Norton) raging backstage – that descended into chaos. Portrayed by Timothée Chalamet, Dylan arrives on the scene in 1961, arriving in New York City in hopes of meeting famous folk musician Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy). In a hospital, Dylan plays for Guthrie and Seeger, setting up the rest of his career.

A complete stranger keeps the audience at a distance

We know very little about Dylan when he arrived; your parents and your education are not a priority. That's part of the fascination, and it keeps Dylan shrouded in some mystery as the focus turns to his music and its effect on people. Whether in a small music club in New York or the Newport Folk Festival, which attracted thousands of people and where Dylan performed extensively, A complete stranger deals with the musician's appeal – and occasionally how he feels about it – but only superficially.

Even his relationships with girlfriend Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning), who is based on Suze Russo, and folk singer Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) offer only a few clarifications. Fanning is underused in general. We get a sense of his growing discomfort with Dylan's fame and its effects, as well as his tumultuous relationship with Baez, who collaborated with Dylan at several points. Interestingly, I could understand both women more clearly than Chalamet's Dylan. Behind the dark glasses and stiff body language, Dylan remains elusive. On screen he is a lucid musician who values ​​and creates his art while we watch from a respectful distance.

The film is very much about an artist who can't explain himself, and I have immense respect for that, but it also creates an emotional disconnect in the narrative form. It was like I was watching a series of events that I couldn't care about. That's what Mangold risks by keeping Dylan out of reach. This made me less inclined to invest in the story, which smartly stays in the 60s despite Dylan having a decades-long career. Perhaps hardcore Bob Dylan fans might think differently, but as a biopic, A complete stranger It's fascinating enough to be useful.

Where A complete stranger rises is during the scenes where the music and performance take center stage. It's also here that Chalamet's Dylan comes most to life, as if he's awakened from some nebulous spell. His music is the string that holds everything together and we see more emotion poured into the film that doesn't exist elsewhere. From “The Times They Are a-Changin'” to Dylan and Baez's duet of “It Ain't Me Babe” at the Newport Folk Festival, the film's use of Dylan's '60s discography is impressive.

A Complete Unknown's performances are a highlight

Timothée Chalamet is well cast

There is also Chalamet's performance. The actor embodies Bob Dylan in every way possible – in his mannerisms, his husky voice and the way he carries himself. Chalamet clearly struggled to achieve this portrayal and lost himself in the role. There's something seductive about Chalamet's performance. His way of dealing with Dylan's aloof personality is what stands out the most. When he continues playing to a booing crowd, Chalamet is visibly frustrated, but he is also in control and focused. In body language and voice, the actor embodies Dylan's artistic spirit and personality, which is not easy to do.

Chalamet isn't the only one in the film with a solid performance. Bárbaro's portrayal of Joan Baez leaves a lasting impression. The actress delivers a profound performance that will move you, and her Baez iteration is subtle, as Bárbaro uses her facial features to convey her emotions – annoyance, warmth, and adoration – in a way that makes us feel for her at every turn. And while Chalamet's performance is much discussed, Edward Norton, as Bob Seeger, is understated but no less effective. His demeanor suggests a warmth that is undermined by his desire for control, creating an interesting contrast.

Ultimately, A complete stranger exists between deep and shallow ends. It's solid overall, with a nice step up from Dylan's use of electric instruments at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. The push-pull dynamics of folk purists like Seeger and Dylan's shifting sound are engaging. But it's also as if we're watching Dylan on stage in the back of a packed arena. We can hear it and even see it, but we cannot get any closer to it. That might be the entire point, especially considering the film's title, but the execution still left me a little cold.

A complete stranger It will be in theaters on December 25th. The film is 141 minutes long and rated R for the language.