5 Reasons Why 'A Complete Unknown' Earned Rave Reviews On RogerEbert.com And Defined The 2025 Awards Season
The highly anticipated Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown, has not only dominated the 2025 awards season but has also sparked a fascinating conversation about musical authenticity and cinematic legacy. As of December 20, 2025, the film's critical success—particularly the glowing review published on the influential RogerEbert.com website—has cemented its status as a definitive modern biopic. Directed by James Mangold and starring a transformative Timothée Chalamet, the movie focuses on the pivotal early career of the folk legend, capturing his meteoric rise from a Minnesota teenager to a cultural icon in Greenwich Village.
The phrase "a complete unknown roger ebert" serves as a nexus point between the film's title, which speaks to Dylan’s early obscurity, and the enduring critical authority of the Ebert brand. While the legendary critic Roger Ebert passed away in 2013, the site he founded continues to shape film discourse, and its positive appraisal of *A Complete Unknown*—praising its eschewing of "shallow... cradle-to-the-grave biopic" tropes—highlights the film’s unique approach to a well-trodden genre.
Timothée Chalamet: The Star Who Became Bob Dylan
The film's success is inextricably linked to the performance of its lead actor, Timothée Chalamet, who takes on the monumental task of portraying the young Bob Dylan. His commitment to authenticity, including performing his own vocals and guitar work, has been widely lauded, earning him a nomination for Actor in a Leading Role at the 97th Oscars.
- Full Name: Timothée Hal Chalamet
- Born: December 27, 1995 (Current Age: 29)
- Birthplace: New York City, New York, U.S.
- Nationality: American and French
- Notable Films (Pre-Dylan): Call Me by Your Name, Dune, Little Women, Wonka.
- Major Awards/Nominations: Oscar nomination for Call Me by Your Name, Oscar nomination for A Complete Unknown, Golden Globe nominee for A Complete Unknown.
- Role in Biopic: Portrays Robert Allen Zimmerman, who would become Bob Dylan, focusing on the period between his arrival in New York City and his controversial electric performance at the Newport Folk Festival.
- Preparation: Spent months learning to sing and play the guitar in Dylan's distinctive style, a dedication that Mangold noted was crucial to the film's authenticity.
The Roger Ebert Legacy and The Verdict on a Complete Unknown
The critical weight of a positive review on RogerEbert.com remains a significant factor in a film's success, and *A Complete Unknown* received high praise from the site's Managing Editor, Brian Tallerico.
The site's review, dated 2024, lauded director James Mangold for avoiding the "standard biopic tropes" and for fluidly capturing a formative chapter in music history. This critical endorsement places the film in a lineage of highly regarded music documentaries and biopics that Ebert himself had championed.
Roger Ebert, a Pulitzer Prize-winning critic, had a long history of reviewing films about Bob Dylan, which provides a fascinating context for the new film's reception. For instance, he reviewed D.A. Pennebaker's 1967 documentary, Don't Look Back, describing the film as a "low-rent version of the rock concert documentaries that would follow," while acknowledging Dylan's complexity. He also praised Todd Haynes' experimental 2007 film, I'm Not There, calling it an attempt to consider the "contradictions of Bob Dylan by building itself upon contradictions," suggesting that maybe that was the "only way to do it."
Brian Tallerico's review on RogerEbert.com suggests that Mangold’s film, by focusing on a specific, transformative period—Dylan's transition from folk purist to electric pioneer—manages to capture the essence of the artist's contradictions without resorting to the conventional, cradle-to-the-grave narrative. This thematic focus is what aligns the film with the spirit of critical depth that Roger Ebert always valued.
Unpacking James Mangold's Vision: Avoiding Biopic Traps
Director James Mangold, known for his work on Walk the Line and Logan, consciously sought to differentiate *A Complete Unknown* from other musical biopics. He framed the film not as a comprehensive life story, but as a deep dive into a specific, pivotal moment of artistic and cultural transformation.
The film charts Dylan's journey from his arrival in New York City in 1961, a young man from Hibbing, Minnesota, to his controversial 1965 performance at the Newport Folk Festival, where he famously "went electric." This era is crucial for understanding the evolution of the folk music scene and the birth of the singer-songwriter as a political and cultural force. Mangold’s approach was to capture the energy, the chaos, and the intellectual ferment of early 1960s Greenwich Village, a hotbed of protest songs and counterculture movements.
The production, which reportedly had a budget of $60 million, was praised for its meticulous recreation of the era. Mangold was determined to make a film that felt raw and authentic, emphasizing the folk revival movement and the influence of early mentors like Pete Seeger. The director’s commitment to having Chalamet perform the music live further elevated the film's perceived realism, a key factor in its positive critical reception and its subsequent Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture – Drama.
The Supporting Cast of Folk Legends and Cultural Icons
The narrative power of *A Complete Unknown* is amplified by its portrayal of the real-life figures who shaped Bob Dylan's early career. The casting of these iconic figures provides a rich tapestry of the American folk scene.
Edward Norton as Pete Seeger: Norton's portrayal of the legendary folk singer and activist Pete Seeger is a highlight. Seeger was a foundational figure in the folk revival, and his relationship with the young Dylan was complex, representing the generational and artistic clash between folk traditionalists and the new wave of singer-songwriters.
Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez: Barbaro steps into the role of Joan Baez, often referred to as the "Queen of Folk." Baez and Dylan had a significant personal and professional relationship in the early 1960s, with Baez introducing Dylan to a larger audience. Their collaboration was instrumental in the rise of protest songs as a mainstream genre.
Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo: Fanning plays Sylvie Russo, one of Dylan’s early New York girlfriends, who witnessed his transformation from a hopeful newcomer to a cultural phenomenon. These performances, combined with Chalamet's central role, create a compelling ensemble that grounds the film in historical reality while exploring the myth-making process that surrounded Dylan.
Ultimately, A Complete Unknown succeeds because it understands that the story of Bob Dylan’s early career is not just a musical journey, but a profound cultural shift. The film's rave reviews, particularly from the RogerEbert.com team, confirm that James Mangold and Timothée Chalamet have delivered a biopic that is both a fresh take on a familiar legend and a powerful piece of cinema, securing its place as a major contender throughout the 2025 awards season.
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