Timothée Chalamet 'Delivers the Performance of the Year' as Bob Dylan inA Complete Unknown: Read What Critics Are Saying

Mar. 15, 2025

Elle Fanning and Timothée Chalamet in A Complete Unknown.Photo:Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

Timothée Chalamet’s performance asBob Dylanis being praised in early reactions to the upcoming movieA Complete Unknown.

After Searchlight Pictures screened its new Dylan-focused biopic for the first time on Wednesday, Nov. 20, journalists and critics took to social media to offer largely positive reactions to 28-year-old Chalamet’s portrayal of the iconic folk-rocker.

“Timothée Chalamet delivers the performance of the year inA Complete Unknown,” journalist Scott Menzelwrote on X, where he also commended Monica Barbaro andEdward Norton’s supporting performances as Joan Baez and Pete Seeger. “A true tour-de-force where Chalamet is never seen. Chalamet’s performance is not just about the voice and look but rather all of the little nuances and mannerisms that he perfectly brings to his life in his portrayal of Bob Dylan.”

Varietyeditor Jazz Tangcay simply wrote, “Wow,” to summarize the movie in apost shared to X. “Timothée Chalamet’s performance in this is superior. James Mangold and his entire team pull off a technical feat from sound, editing, costume, cinematography to production design, down to the subtleties of makeup and hair,” Tangcay added. “Loved it.”

Timothée Chalamet in A Complete Unknown.Macall Polay/Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

Macall Polay/Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

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Variety’s senior award editor Clayton Davis wrote that Chalamet “slides into Bob Dylan with an effortless yet focused determination” in the film.

“Fearless in some hypnotic moments. For me, it’s Monica Barbaro and Elle Fanning that anchor the story of an illusive, mysterious man that remains in that sphere,” he wrote. “James Mangold helms with confidence, with gorgeous sets and costumes. Much respect to one of the best to do it.”

Critic Abe Friedtanzer wrote that whileA Complete Unknown"looks and sounds great," the movie is “a standard biopic that truly comes alive when its iconic characters make passionate music together. Timothée Chalamet is well-cast but Monica Barbaro and Edward Norton steal the show as Joan Baez and Pete Seeger.”

A Complete Unknown poster.Searchlight Pictures

Searchlight Pictures

Film critic Ryan Swen offered a differing opinion than many on X, where he described the movie as “not terrible but often unsuccessful.” “Chalamet does his best, considerably better in the 1961 section than 1965,” he added. “Frequently incoherent/inaccurate.”

A Complete Unknownis in theaters Dec. 25.

source: people.com