How Does It Feel? A Complete Unknown… It Feels Oscar-Worthy to Me.

On my author website, I get to flex my literary muscles beyond the usual Mets content I churn out for KinersKorner.com—though fear not, I’m not straying too far from the baseball diamond. When the spirit moves me, I dabble in other subjects, like movie reviews, which brings me to the traditional Christmas Eve ritual of us fine folks of the Jewish faith: a cinematic double play followed by “1 from Column A and 1 from Column B.” This year’s big-screen adventure was A Complete Unknown, the Dylan biopic that left me pondering life, art, and whether I should have gone with the Sesame Chicken or General Tso’s Chicken.

Set in the bustling chaos of 1961 New York, A Complete Unknown takes us into the music-filled streets of Greenwich Village, where the folk scene buzzed like a neon sign in Times Square. Enter 19-year-old Robert Zimmerman from Minnesota, armed with a guitar, a harmonica, and enough lyrical brilliance to rewrite America’s soundtrack. He didn’t just play music—he rattled its very foundation.

Timothée Chalamet who also has a producing credit in the film, steps into the role of Bob Dylan, not only acting but singing, while James Mangold directs this electric origin story. The film also boasts a star-studded lineup: Edward Norton as folk legend Pete Seeger, Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo, Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash, Dan Fogler as Albert Grossman and Scoot McNairy as Woody Guthrie. It’s a cast so stacked, you might need a scorecard to keep up.

Much like Broadway’s recent trend of musical backstories (Jersey Boys, Beautiful, A Beautiful Noise), A Complete Unknown leans heavily on its soundtrack—and what a soundtrack it is. Somehow, they crammed 37 songs into the film, which, for perspective, is 20 more than Saturday Night Fever and 26 more than Wicked. Timothée Chalamet absolutely nails Dylan, literally right down to the long fingernails, the hunched shoulders, and that voice that sounds like it’s been marinated in gravel and poetry. If he doesn’t win an Oscar for this, then the Academy might need to borrow Florida’s hanging chads and double-check the ballots..

While we’re on the subject of Oscars, Edward Norton’s portrayal of Pete Seeger is equally spot-on. From the voice to the mannerisms, Norton was so convincing I half expected him to march out of the theater and organize a protest rally. If he doesn’t win Best Supporting Actor, I might need to organize one myself.

As for Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, well, to paraphrase Lloyd Bridges in *Airplane*, she picked the wrong year to compete for Best Actress. That one’s likely going to Elphaba or Glinda from Wicked. But make no mistake, Barbaro’s performance is still Oscar-worthy—it’s just tough luck going up against a pair of witches.

The film’s soundtrack deserves its own category, with every track a perfect time capsule of the era. From Woody Guthrie’s “Dusty Old Dust” to Dylan classics like “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Like a Rolling Stone,” it’s a veritable greatest hits of folk music history. And let’s not forget Chalamet performing these songs himself—every note feels authentic, every word feels lived-in. If the movie doesn’t leave you humming “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” check the doorway—you might be the one blocking the hall..

The new Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown, directed by James Mangold and starring Timothée Chalamet, is one of the most enjoyable films I’ve seen in years. It nails so much—from capturing Dylan’s magnetic rise to showcasing the cultural shifts he came to symbolize. That said, a few details didn’t quite sit right with me (to borrow a phrase from Dylan, they were "tangled up in blue"), but hey, that’s what we’re here for.Let’s dive into the fact and fiction, shall we?

Missing Pieces of the Mystery Man

The movie picks up Dylan’s life at 19, giving us a fleeting glimpse—a 30-second scrapbook shot, which bears the name Robert Zimmerman, some vague mentions of carnival workers, and then it barrels into his folk-icon transformation. But what about the first 19 years? Who introduced him to Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger? What set his soul ablaze for folk music? These questions hang unanswered. A little more backstory could’ve added depth to his mythology, especially for those of us who want to understand what made him trade Minnesota for a guitar and Greenwich Village.

Grossman or Booger?

This might sound petty, but I couldn’t shake it: Dan Fogler as Albert Grossman looks uncannily like Curtis Armstrong, a.k.a. “Booger” from Revenge of the Nerds. Every time Fogler appeared, I half-expected him to offer Dylan a box of tissues or make a snide remark about nerd solidarity. It’s not a knock on Fogler’s performance—he nailed Grossman’s shrewdness—but that resemblance pulled me out of the moment more than once.

Fact or Fiction: The Rabbit Hole

As much as I enjoyed the film, watching A Complete Unknown was like signing up for an extended trivia night. After the two hours and 20 minutes of runtime (plus the requisite 20 minutes of bad trailers), I spent at least three times that googling whether key moments actually happened. Spoiler alert: if you're going to the theater, save yourself the extra hours—I’ve already done the heavy lifting for you.

Did Pete Seeger Really Join Dylan at Woody Guthrie’s Bedside?

The movie suggests Pete Seeger was present when Bob Dylan visited Woody Guthrie at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in New Jersey. It's a compelling scene, but fact-checkers might have a field day with it. There's no solid proof their first meeting happened at Guthrie's bedside. That said, it’s not entirely far-fetched. Seeger and Guthrie were close friends, and Dylan was a regular visitor. Edward Norton, who plays Seeger in the film, even believes it’s “more than likely” their paths crossed in such a setting.

Here’s what we do know: Dylan traveled to New York City in 1961 with one mission in mind—meeting his hero, Woody Guthrie. Director James Mangold points out that this wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment decision; Dylan was already sketching out his road to New York in remarkable detail. During his research, Timothée Chalamet uncovered a fascinating artifact: a Woody Guthrie record sleeve on which a teenage Dylan had drawn himself holding a guitar case, heading down a winding road toward a sketched New York skyline. On the road, there’s even a little sign that says, "Bound for Glory". And in the corner? Dylan had scribbled the opening lyrics to his song, "Song to Woody.”

The film dramatizes Dylan’s visit to Guthrie by having him play “Song to Woody” at the hospital. This moment supposedly impresses Guthrie and Seeger, convincing them that young Dylan might be the next great voice in folk music. Beautiful cinema? Absolutely. But did it really happen? Not exactly. Dylan didn’t meet Guthrie at the hospital for the first time, nor was Seeger standing bedside nodding in approval.

As for whether Dylan ever crashed on Seeger’s couch during his early, guitar-slinging, couch-surfing New York days—that’s a mystery, too. He might have, but there’s no hard evidence to say for sure. What’s clear, though, is that Seeger played a big role in Dylan’s early career, serving as both mentor and metaphorical safe harbor. As Mangold puts it, “Pete Seeger was a shelter against the storm for Bob.”

So while the movie takes some liberties, it captures the spirit of Dylan’s journey—the young troubadour on a mission to meet his idol and find his voice. And let’s be honest, even if the specifics didn’t happen exactly as portrayed, it’s the kind of story you want to believe.

Sylvie Russo = Suze Rotolo?

Dylan’s first New York girlfriend was Suze Rotolo, who famously graced the cover of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. In the film, she’s reimagined as Sylvie Russo (played by Elle Fanning), a nod to Dylan’s request to protect Rotolo’s legacy. It’s a sweet gesture, even if the name change feels like a thin disguise.

Newport Electric “Judas” Moment?

Ah, the infamous “Judas!” heckle. In reality, Dylan got booed for going electric at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, but the “Judas” shout happened later during his UK tour. Mangold condensed these moments into one scene for dramatic effect, and honestly, it works. It captures the betrayal Dylan felt from purist fans without bogging us down in a history quiz.

Pete Seeger’s Axe Myth?

Legend has it Seeger, furious about Dylan’s electric set, tried to chop the sound cables with an axe. Spoiler: it didn’t happen. Seeger’s family and festival witnesses confirm he didn’t grab an axe (though he might’ve wished for one). Norton sums it up perfectly: “There’s myth, and then there’s what people wish had happened.”

Did Dylan Ever Appear on Pete Seeger’s TV Show?

The movie gives us a fictional gem here: Dylan, running late, showing up on Pete Seeger’s TV show Rainbow Quest. It’s a cool visual, but it’s pure make-believe. While Seeger’s real-life show did exist, airing in the New York and New Jersey area as a showcase for folk, blues, and bluegrass musicians, Dylan never graced its modest stage.

Director James Mangold inherited this scene from the original script by Jay Cocks, and it stayed in because, hey, it works cinematically. “Pete had this show, and only some of the tapes still exist,” Mangold explained. “It was a fabulous show, but I’m not sure Bob was on it.” Adding to the fiction, the blues guitarist featured alongside Dylan, Jesse Moffette, never existed. That’s Hollywood for you—sometimes the legend outshines the facts.

Dylan and Baez: Touring Tensions

The film also depicts a heated moment between Dylan and Joan Baez during their 1965 tour, with Dylan flat-out refusing to play “Blowin’ in the Wind.” While there’s no definitive record of this exact spat, it certainly captures Dylan’s well-documented resistance to sticking with the folk anthems that catapulted him to stardom.

By 1965, Dylan was evolving, both musically and personally, and Mangold said the script drew from various Dylan moments to paint this tension. “It’s like asking someone to play their greatest hits when they’re already onto the next thing,” Mangold noted. The dialogue may be imagined, but the sentiment is true to Dylan’s artistic journey.

Johnny Cash and the Newport Folk Festival

In one memorable scene, Johnny Cash is portrayed as the whiskey-fueled angel on Dylan’s shoulder, encouraging him to electrify the stage at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. While this sounds like the stuff of music lore, it’s entirely fictional. Cash didn’t even attend the 1965 festival, let alone hand Dylan a guitar and nudge him into rock ’n’ roll history.

What’s true is that Cash and Dylan had a genuine friendship, and their correspondence included words of encouragement for Dylan to forge his own path. Mangold leaned into this dynamic, saying, “Johnny was always telling Bob not to listen to the folk music gatekeepers.”

For the record, Dylan did perform two acoustic songs—Mr. Tambourine Man”and “It’s All Over, Baby Blue”—after his electric set at Newport. And yes, he played them on a guitar Cash had gifted him, but that happened at the 1964 festival, a year earlier.

So, What’s Real and What’s Reel?

The movie takes plenty of liberties with Dylan’s story, but that’s par for the course with biopics. The goal here isn’t to present a perfect historical documentary but to capture the essence of Dylan’s journey—his rebellion, his evolution, and the mythology surrounding him.

A Complete Unknown is a compelling, music-filled exploration of Bob Dylan’s early years, brought to life by Timothée Chalamet’s masterful portrayal. While the film takes liberties with the facts—an inevitable part of biographical storytelling—it captures the spirit of a young artist ready to change the world with his voice and vision. The stellar performances, especially from Chalamet and Edward Norton, make this film a must-see for music lovers and cinephiles alike. Whether you're a lifelong Dylan fan or just discovering his music, this film will leave you with a deeper appreciation for the man who truly was "A Complete Unknown."

And really, isn’t that fitting for Bob Dylan? After all, as the man himself once sang, “You’re gonna have to serve somebody.” In this case, the movie serves both the truth and the legend, and the result is one heck of a ride.