The teaser trailer for director James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown” was released by Searchlight Pictures on Wednesday morning, following over a year of on-set paparazzi set photos and red carpet interview fodder.
It not only demonstrated his physical metamorphosis into the music legend, but it also provided a little excerpt of his singing voice. The actor divides the internet with his rendition of Dylan’s 1963 anti-war ballad “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,” much as his casting announcement did.
Jamie Campbell Bower, a Dylan aficionado and star of “Stranger Things,” wrote on X to express his support for Chalamet.
“As a man who has Bob Dylan tattooed on his butt cheeks I can safely say I am VERY excited about Chalamet as Dylan after seeing that trailer,” Bower wrote.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, director and co-writer Mangold commended Chalamet’s performance and ability to represent Dylan.
“There were also moments where it felt like something was getting channeled,” he said. “I’m not trying to imitate. In sentiment, that is.
Club Chalamet, a Chalamet fan account, expressed its support for the actor on X.
“Start include Timothée Chalamet in your Oscar predictions, experts! Wow!” the fan page wrote.
Some users were not totally persuaded by the “Dune” star’s vocals.
“I’m sorry but that is just not bob dylan. It’s Timothee Chalamet,” a person said.
A other user expressed the same idea.
The source said, “The singing is fine, but when he starts speaking, I’m like, that’s literally just Timothee.” “Not moving.”
Chalamet says only a few words in the trailer. “That’s all I got so far,” he utters after playing “A Hard Rain” for his family.
In his interview with Rolling Stone, Mangold made it plain that Chalamet didn’t aim to copy Dylan.
“There’s sometimes a perception out there that what we’re doing is about a perfect replication of a human voice and physicality. That is not something we can accomplish. Not with human bodies,” said the guy. “You need to make an effort to unravel these characters’ emotional dynamics—something that movies excel at doing. Even then, it’s just my interpretation of events.
Mangold has seen enough of music biopics before. Joaquin Phoenix played country musician Johnny Cash in the 2005 film “Walk the Line,” which led to his nomination for an Academy Award. For the film, Phoenix sang in addition to himself.
Mangold claims that this is just the teaser. For viewers to fully appreciate Chalamet’s performance, they must watch the entire film.
“It’s going to be hard for people to see in teasers, trailers, or pictures, but I think the way he develops this character is a true feat of acting genius,” Mangold remarked.
Regarding the trailer, one X user said, “I like this.” “It reminds me of how Joaquin Phoenix didn’t sound exactly like @JohnnyCash but sounded good.”
“Timothée Chalamet sings Bob Dylan without imitating Bob Dylan but being someone who shows his vulnerability and is masterfully able to convey emotions,” another user posted. “I’m on my knees.”
“A Complete Unknown” isn’t Chalamet’s first excursion into musicals. Last year, Chalamet portrayed the eponymous Willy Wonka in the origin narrative “Wonka” – set before the events of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”
The December release of “A Complete Unknown,” a film that chronicles the folk icon’s career, opens with her 1961 arrival in New York City from Minnesota. In the film, Edward Norton portrays Pete Seeger, Elle Fanning plays Sylvie Russo, and Monica Barbaro plays Joan Baez. The remaining cast members include Boyd Holbrook, P. J. Byrne, Scoot McNairy, Dan Fogler, and Will Harrison.
The movie is one of several music biopics that will be released in the next years, including ones on Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, the Beatles, and Linda Ronstadt.
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