Is there anything Timothée Chalamet can’t do? He’s Willy Wonka, he’s Dune Paul, he’s Call Me By Your Name peach guy, and now…he’s Bobby Dylan.
Bob Dylan biopic trailer released
Yesterday, the teaser trailer for James Mangold’s Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown dropped, giving the world its first glimpse of Chalamet as the freewheelin’, mumbly troubadour in action. (It was only just March of this year when we spotted Timmy filming for this in the streets of New York.)
The film covers Dylan’s rise to prominence as a folk music prophet, culminating with his controversial decision to go electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. As a result, we get a look at many era-appropriate West Village, NY locations, such as the Cafe Wha?.
We also see Edward Norton’s Pete Seeger, Elle Fanning’s Sylvie Russo, and Monica Barbaro’s Joan Baez, among others.
But what of Chalamet?
Timothée Chalamet's take on Bob Dylan
Over the past sixty or so years, Bob Dylan impressions are dime a dozen. Heck, at times it sounds like Dylan himself is doing a Bob Dylan impression. Thus, Chalamet’s interpretation has to go a bit deeper, and has to reflect the human being beneath the “Dylan” persona. (Of course, he could have just asked Cate Blanchett for some coaching.)
Timothée Chalamet in 'A COMPLETE UNKNOWN' side by side with Bob Dylan singing 'A HARD RAIN'S A-GONNA FALL'
— WatchMojo (@WatchMojo) July 24, 2024
How did Timmy do? pic.twitter.com/pKOpLFdZiF
It appears Timmy has done his homework, producing a voice that’s got the spirit of the original article without being a caricature. And those little eye twitches during his concert performances? Spot freaking on.
Social media sounds off
But the internet is the true arbiter of opinion. What’s the word?
If the trailer is any indication, Timothee Chalamet delivers a masterful performance as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown.
— Ben Gardner (@BenGardner87) July 24, 2024
My hot take is that it's entirely fine to celebrate good acting and good art. You don't have to be hyper critical of everything. https://t.co/sCpdn2fZfG
pleased to report that timothée chalamet has my mother’s (the biggest bob dylan fan ever) stamp of approval x pic.twitter.com/vpvISpPGPr
— claire rowden (@clx1re) July 24, 2024
It brings me no pleasure to report that Timothee Chalamet does a very credible job of singing like Bob Dylan. This is a devastating day for the haters, we need to fall back and regroup https://t.co/ehGJWkUTTc
— Lucas McMillan (@LucasMcMillan) July 24, 2024
Bob Dylan himself is gonna be shocked when he listens to Timothée singing his songs...i have no words pic.twitter.com/XWvohvMALe
— ?? (@Chalametisme) July 24, 2024
From what I’ve seen, Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown” looks like it could be a great hit. pic.twitter.com/Isc4exFGKs
— Steve Palec (@stevepalec) July 25, 2024
It’s giving Fievel https://t.co/7vi9RsoezX
— paige (@BonerWizard) July 24, 2024
Ok Timotheé Chalamet is incredibly good in this clip from the Bob Dylan biopic: pic.twitter.com/8GjCiaOlGP
— Tim Duffy™ (@TimDuffy) July 24, 2024
From what I’ve seen, Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown” looks like it could be a great hit. pic.twitter.com/Isc4exFGKs
— Steve Palec (@stevepalec) July 25, 2024
So yeah, it seems good overall. However, they missed a huge opportunity by not having the current Bob Dylan play his younger self.
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