The New Dylan Film – Leaves Unknowns

Written by Estero Bay News

January 31, 2025

By Keith Pendleton

The so-called biopic “A Complete Unknown” is currently showing in theaters around San Luis Obispo County. 

The movie’s name stems from the Bob Dylan song, “Like A Rolling Stone” with the chorus: 

“How does it feel, how does it feel?

To be on your own, with no direction home

A complete unknown, like a rolling stone” 

Upon viewing this cinematic work by director James Mangold, one could come away wondering if this was actually a character assassination film. How many ways can Bob Dylan, born Robert Zimmerman, seemingly the major focus of the movie, be portrayed as a rebel without a cause, or worse? Quite a contrast to some reviews praising the film for bringing clarity to the conflict and contrast of the Free-Love Movement of the 1960s. 

More research revealed director Mangold elicited Dylan’s assistance in distilling the story portrayed. That destroys the character assassination theory (unless Dylan is a masochist!). The process of inserting Dylan’s truth into the original project reveals that ‘writing by committee’ does not necessarily enable truth-telling. Dylan is widely, and wildly, known to be an inaccurate voice in portraying his own personal life. 

This film even has fellow actors, questioning his “life as a circus carnie runaway.” Is it just a coincidence that in 1961 James Darren sings Gloria Baker’s song about running away to join the circus, and Dylan claims to have done just that in this movie? 

The film is originally a snapshot movie, not a biopic according to a Mangold interview. The original focus was recounting combined efforts of giants in the music genre with tales of their intimate interactions adding spice to the cultural message. This message of hope and guarded optimism given to a new generation of citizen-activists and rebels forging a new society becomes a sordid tale of chaos. 

“A Complete Unknown” reveals stories of well-known singer/songwriters living a melodrama with prideful quarreling reigning on the parade. Idealistic learning from and building upon past mistakes is trounced by insecurity and selfish bickering. The film wants to be an insider’s perspective into the intertwined lives of poet philosophers. When Dylan assists Mangold in script interpretation and authenticity, the director inadvertently relinquishes control of the accuracy he seeks to promote. 

The focus shifts to an actor reliving his paranoia at becoming an overnight success. Artistic expression becomes a club to bash opposing prerogatives. Musicians rebel against their audiences (and manager’s) control over their craft to assert self-preservation over fan desire. Maybe the film is a “hit piece,” but there is more than one victim! And does asking the subject to participate in the truth telling give a monopoly to one of the story tellers? When 1960’s music legend Rick Nelson gave a concert introducing his new musical pursuits at Madison Square Garden in New York, his audience started booing and throwing trash on stage because he wasn’t singing the oldies. Nelson mollified the audience by singing the old favorites but later wrote a road song, “Garden Party,” with the refrain “…if memories are all I sing, I’d rather drive a truck!” 

Though that story does not appear in Unknown it is reflective of the tensions portrayed in the movie. In the Mangold film, Dylan writes a letter to Johnny Cash relating, “To quote Mr. Freud, I get quite paranoid.” Referring to his rapid rise to fame and how lack of anonymity played upon his psyche. Dylan laments the toll success takes upon his personal life. The road-song genre is replete with inside information and feelings about musicians dealing with fandom. “Creeque Alley,” “Mr. Bojangles,” “I Dig Rock ’n Roll Music,”and “Who’ll Stop the Rain” reflect on such experiences. “America,” “An American Song” and “Kathy’s Song” by Simon & Garfunkel show the impact on lives around the famous duo. “Life is A Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me),” “Maggie May, Maggie’s Farm,” “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” “You’re So Vain,” “Diamonds & Rust” and even “American Pie” can be considered poetic licenses to fret over adjusting to super-stardom. That can be self-reflection or tales about the impact of fellow musicians in their adjustment to a life of celebrity. And the Beat Goes On.

This film seems to raise more questions than offer answers. Does Unknown portray the relevance of the times or a reaction to the times? Is the music portrayed, playful lyrical point and counterpoint or contrasting personalities and perspectives? The tension brings to mind the Woody Allen vs. Mel Brooks ‘king of comedy’ movie wars of words vs. a more physical slapstick. 

Like Dylan says in the film when asked what a dong is about, “I don’t know? What do you think it is about?” Is art imitating life or life imitating art? One wonders if it is a coincidence that director Mangold brings Johnny Cash into this movie when Mangold is also the creative genius behind the Cash biopic “Walk the Line.” 

Later in the 20th Century Dylan became a Christian. Does he transcend into a rebel WITH a cause? We do not know from this film. I guess that will be a subject of the next movie. Stay Tuned!

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