James Mangoldhas established himself as a terrific filmmaker with modern classics like the Best Picture nomineeFord v. Ferrari, the excellent comic book filmLogan, and the acclaimed remake of3:10 to Yuma. However, the most acclaimed project of Mangold’s careerthus far was the biopicWalk the Line, which starredJoaquin PhoenixasJohnny Cash.In addition to winningReese Witherspoonthe Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as June Carter,Walk the Linehelped revitalize Hollywood’s interest in making biographical films about the lives of acclaimed musicians. Mangold has now returned to the genre withA Complete Unknown, which starsTimothée Chalametas a youngBob Dylanduring his journey from Minnesota to New York City in the 1960s. Although Chalamet’s performance is certainly the reason to see the film,A Complete Unknownshows a different side to Johnny Cash thanks to a terrific performance fromBoyd Holbrook.
How Did Johnny Cash Know Bob Dylan?
Walk the Linewas an impressive biopic because it showcased the entirety of Cash’s life, and featured extraordinary makeup that helped ensure that Phoenix looked as authentic as possible. Although it is impressive that Mangold was able to include so much information in the film,Walk the Lineis primarilyfocused on the tumultuous romancebetween Cash and his wife, June.A Complete Unknownshowcases a previously unexplored period in Cash’s life when he became a mentor to Dylanafter hearing his songs and expressing his admiration through writing. Although Cash was a prominent figure in the music industry since the mid-1950s, he was still adapting to the significant political and social changes in America by the time Dylan first began writing. Cash is typically depicted as a rebel who was keen to confront authoritative figures, butA Complete Unknownshows a more contemplative side to him; it becomes clear that Cash sees a protégé in Dylan, and wants to ensure that he can find a way to make his music mainstream.
Cash serves an important role in the story ofA Complete Unknown, and does not appear just for the sake of including another iconic artist. Although Dylan does find another mentor in Pete Seeger (Edward Norton), Cash is the one who encourages him to follow his instincts instead of relying on what record producers want him to do.A Complete Unknownis primarily focused on how Dylan transitioned from traditional folk music to electric instrumentation, which caused significant controversy when he performed at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. Cash, who attended the show alongside him, speaks profoundly about the necessity of being artistically pure. Although the filmdoes show the alcoholism issuesthat Cash began to suffer from, it does suggest that he was the only one of Dylan’s fellow artists who was genuinely willing to give him unabridged advice on how to deal with a difficult situation.
‘A Complete Unknown’ Completes the Story of ‘Walk the Line’
A Complete Unknowndoes not feel derivative ofWalk the LinebecauseHolbrook gives a very different performance compared to Phoenix.Phoenix explored the challenging road Cash faced throughout his lifedue to his contentious family life, so it made sense that his interpretation would be far more serious. However, Holbrook is able to show a more comedic side of Cash, who has come to enjoy the luxuries that come with being a world-renowned singer-songwriter. Although he doesn’t have as much screen time as some of the other supporting characters, Holbrook steals every scene that he is in. Considering that Holbrook also made the most of his small roles inLoganandIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, it is safe to say that he is Mangold’s secret weapon.
A Complete Unknownis a great companion piece toWalk the Line, as they take very different approaches to the musician biopic genre.Walk the Linedrew some criticism for attempting to cram in every detail about Cash’s life, and was ruthlessly parodied by the satireWalk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. Comparatively,A Complete Unknownis a far moreatmospheric coming-of-age storythat examines a very specific window in Dylan’s career. Both approaches were successful in their own right, indicating that Mangold has a great deal of flexibility as a storyteller.
A Complete Unknownis in theaters now.
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A Complete Unknown
A Complete Unknown: Set in the vibrant New York music scene of the early 1960s, the film follows the journey of 19-year-old Minnesota musician Bob Dylan. It captures his rapid ascent from a budding folk singer to a prominent figure in concert halls and on the charts, highlighting his impact on the music world.
