If, upon seeing the title A Complete Unknown, you instinctively murmured, “Ah, a film about Bob Dylan,” then you are likely to watch this film with a heart filled to the brim with emotion. If the title alone conjures the familiar refrain, “♬ How does it feel, how does it feel ♬ To be without a home, ♬ Like a complete unknown, ♬ Like a rolling stone,” then this film is unequivocally meant for you. For those kindred spirits, I offer a word of caution as you watch A Complete Unknown. You might find yourself so captivated that you forget the presence of the person beside you and hum along, perhaps even sing, throughout the entire 2 hours and 21 minutes of the film.

Some might introduce Bob Dylan’s greatness by mentioning his Nobel Prize in Literature, being a rock singer honored with the prestigious literary award. But his stature transcends such accolades. Allow me to suggest this: while the top spot on a list of the 100 greatest albums of all time might be subjective, if Bob Dylan doesn’t appear within the top 10, I advise you to discard that list entirely. It would be akin to a list of jazz greats omitting Miles Davis.

Having read this far, those unfamiliar with Bob Dylan might resolve to watch the biopic A Complete Unknown to grasp the entirety of this artist’s life and musical influence. However, Bob Dylan released his 40^th studio album, Shadow Kingdom, in 2023, and his official website lists tour dates for the current year, showing that he’s still going strong as an artist. So it’s interesting that A Complete Unknown begins in the winter of 1961, with a nineteen-year-old Dylan arriving in New York City to meet his hero, folk singer Woody Guthrie, and concludes several years later, with Dylan bidding farewell to Guthrie during another hospital visit.

Does this period represent Dylan’s prime? The answer is both yes and no. Dylan’s journey as an artist was marked by periods of slumps, where he seemingly squandered his time singing gospel (much to everyone’s bewilderment), only to miraculously overcome them. There were also times of exhilarating, extended tours with fellow musicians, and the enigmatic period that birthed Blood on the Tracks, an album whose chord progressions, recording process and lyrics remain shrouded in mystery. From a cinematic perspective, these later periods arguably offer more dramatic narratives.

So, you might ask, “What is A Complete Unknown truly about?” It’s a film about war. A war with whom? The public. For a singer to wage war against their audience is a perilous act, risking an instantaneous fall from grace. Dylan began his career with folk music, a genre whose devotees often scorned rock and roll, which traces its roots to Elvis Presley, as childish, frivolous music meant only for dancing teenagers. The followers of folk music revered folk music as pure, profound art, touching the soul with poetic lyrics. They hailed folk singers as modern lyrical bards. An insurmountable chasm separated the two genres. Dylan emerged as a folk hero almost overnight. While occasionally performing “traditional” songs, he brought new lyrics, new melodies and a new style, sometimes murmuring protest songs imbued with political resistance, other times whispering poetic verses about lost love. However, when Dylan “went electric” and emerged with a band, during the era of The Beatles, folk music fans saw him as a traitor, accusing him of selling out his artistic integrity for fame and fortune. They whistled and shouted insults during his concerts. But Dylan refused to turn back. A Complete Unknown is a drama about the determination behind Dylan’s artistic choices, a narrative about the adven- ture of creation and a film that observes the solitude encountered during that transformaive process.

Consequently, the most moving scenes are those where Dylan takes the stage and sings. These performance scenes are extended and frequent. Beyond that, A Complete Unknown might seem to offer little else. But if you savor those moments, you’ll likely find yourself binge watching it twice in a row on your flight. Let’s hope your flight time exceeds the 2 hours and 21 minutes.

Dylan aficionados may already know this, but a correction regarding one scene seems necessary. The film depicts an incident at the Newport Folk Festival where someone in the audience shouts “Judas!” (referring to the betrayal of Jesus) after Dylan plays rock music with an electric guitar. Dylan nonchalantly replies, “I don’t believe you, you’re a liar,” before launching into a raucous rendition of Like a Rolling Stone, singing the lyrics echoing the film’s title.

This moment is widely celebrated as one of the 100 greatest moments in rock history. However, this event didn’t occur at Newport but on May 17, 1966, at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester, England. For a long time, it was mistakenly known as the Royal Albert Hall incident due to a journalistic error. This live recording circulated for years as a bootleg before finally being officially released as The Bootleg Series Vol 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966.

Now, for two postscripts. First, in the final scene of A Complete Unknown, Dylan bids farewell to Woody Guthrie and rides off on a motorcycle. A conventional interpretation might see this as a symbolic departure from folk music towards the world of rock and roll. Dylan fans, however, might sense an ominous foreshadowing of the motorcycle accident Dylan suffered on July 29, 1966. Rumors of his death circulated, comparing his fate to that of James Dean. Dylan disappeared from public view for some 18 months, during which he held sessions with “The Band” in the basement of a house known as “Big Pink” for its siding painted in salmon pink. This recording remained the stuff of legend for years, only surfacing officially in 1975 under the title The Basement Tapes. Dylan returned to the studio in the late autumn of 1967 and finally released the much-anticipated new album, John Wesley Harding, showing the world that he had once again chosen a new path. To the world’s surprise, he abandoned psychedelic rock and leaned into the sounds of country, folk and blues with quiet, intimate arrangements.

Second, in A Complete Unknown, the “Man in Black” (Johnny Cash) is depicted as one of the few who supported Dylan’s transition to rock. While working on his ninth album, Nashville Skyline, in 1969, Dylan re-recorded his previously released song Girl from the North Country as a duet with Johnny Cash. In addition to this song, they recorded several other duets known as the Johnny Cash Sessions. These recordings were finally released in 2019 as Bob Dylan (featuring Johnny Cash) – Travelin’ Thru, 1967 – 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 15. Regrettably, I understand why it took so long for these recordings to surface. The results of this collaboration are underwhelming. Offering encouragement is one thing; successful collaboration is another. I confess that I keep this album on my shelf, never to be played again. Honestly, I’m tempted to nitpick further details and add more annotations, flaunting my deep affection for Bob Dylan.

But I’ll stop here. Instead, I plan to revisit Highway 61 Revis- ited, the album that opens with Like a Rolling Stone. Even now, the thought of listening to that song again fills me with anticipation, just as it did the first time I heard it.

• Jung Sungil is a film critic and a director. He played a crucial role in shaping cinephile culture in South Korea in the 1990s by leading Kino, a magazine that transformed the landscape of film criticism.

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Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back (1967)

(Directed by D. A. Pennebaker)

From April 30 to May 10, 1965, filmmaker D. A. Pennebaker followed Bob Dylan with his camera. Moving between the stage, live shows and private moments in hotels, the film was shot in the “direct cinema” style. Groundbreaking at the time, this observational style documentary offers no explanation and asks Dylan no questions.

Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid (1973)

(Directed by Sam Peckinpah)

This Western depicts the peculiar friendship and pursuit between Sheriff Pat Garrett and outlaw Billy the Kid. In this film, Bob Dylan appears not as the lead but in the supporting role of Alias. Dylan also composed the soundtrack and sang the songs for the film. The famous song Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door is one of the tracks featured.

No Direction Home (2005)

(Directed by Martin Scorsese)

This documentary covers the exact same period depicted in
A Complete Unknown. Martin Scorsese, a self-proclaimed Dylan fan, meticulously gathered a vast array of archival footage, presenting a kaleidoscopic chronicle of Dylan’s life during this time. If you haven’t seen either film yet, I recommend watching No Direction Home first, followed by A Complete Unknown.

I’m Not There (2007)

(Directed by Todd Haynes)

Almost like an experimental film, this movie delves into the inner workings of Dylan’s creative process. Six different actors portray Dylan at different stages of his career. Notably, actress Cate Blanchett plays Dylan during the period covered in A Complete Unknown. Bob Dylan appears only in the final scene, in a recording of his live performance of Mr. Tambourine Man.

About Family

Ham Moo-ok (Kim Yoonseok), owner of a 38-year-old dumpling restaurant, worries about the future of his family after his only son Moonseok (Lee Seunggi) becomes a Buddhist monk. But then he’s paid a visit by an adorable boy and girl who say they were conceived with sperm donated by Moonseok in his college years. That’s how Ham welcomes his unex- pected grandchildren into his family. As their relationship takes shape — just like the dumplings at his diner — viewers are encouraged to ponder the meaning of family. At a time of changing values, this is a highly relevant film where unrelated people build relationships that bear a striking resemblance to a family.

Brocker

Sanghyeon (Song Kangho) and Dongsoo (Gang Dongwon) are well-meaning adoption brokers who source their babies from a “baby box” for abandoned children. One day, they run into Soyoung (Lee Jieun / singer IU), who has come back to claim her baby. The trio go looking for baby buyers, with conflicting moti- vations — Sanghyeon and Dongsoo are out for the money, and Soyoung wants to ensure the babies are raised in a better environment. They’re joined on their journey by Haejin (Im Seungsoo), appearing to be a happy family to unsuspecting viewers. However, hot on their trail are Officer Soojin (Bae Doona) of the Women and Juvenile Affairs Investigation Team, and Detective Lee (Lee Jooyoung).

Pawn

Dooseok (Sung Dongil) and Jongbae (Kim Heewon) are two no-nonsense loan sharks operating in Incheon in 1993 who accept a nine-year-old girl named Seungyi (Park Soyi) as collateral for an overdue loan. The girl — who doesn’t even know the word collateral — gradually forms a familial bond with her two erstwhile captors. Dooseok and Jongbae assume Seungyi has been passed on to a wealthy family but eventually are reunited with her in the last place they expect. The new connection formed with Seungyi is at once hilarious and moving, while touching on the meaning of true love and family.

Little Miss Sunshine

Here comes the adorably mischievous Hoover family. The six quarrelsome members of the family hop into a beat-up van to take seven-year-old Olive to the “Little Miss Sunshine” beauty pageant. The ill-fated trip is one mishap after another, and little Olive seems doomed to lose the pageant. The road trip has some memorable messages for viewers: Failing courageously is a form of victory, and there’s no denying family.

Wonder

Auggie (Jacob Tremblay) is as witty, curious and charming as they come, but he stays hidden behind a space helmet because of his different-looking facial features. The time comes for bashful Auggie to attend school, an exhilarating yet terrifying prospect for him. As he takes a step into the unknown, he can count on the support of his mother (Julia Roberts), father (Owen Wilson) and older sister. The story will be relatable to anyone who deals with recurring fears and lingering wounds.

RM: Right People, Wrong Place

RM is the stage name of BTS leader Kim Namjoon. “How honest is it possible for me to be?” he muses. This documentary depicts RM’s search for his true self as he candidly shares his unfamiliar emotions and experiences. The documentary is a genuine look at RM’s reflections from 2023 and the things he fell in love with, along with songs from his album RM: Right Place, Wrong Person.

Whitney Houston — The Concert for a New South Africa

Three concerts that Whitney Houston held in South Africa in 1994 have been given the cinematic treatment. With more than 200,000 people in attendance, these concerts, held shortly after South Africa ended its policy of apartheid, were about far more than the music. The concerts were celebrations of freedom and hope, heralding a new beginning for the people of South Africa.

School of Rock

What if rock music were taught at school? That’s what happens when washed-up rocker Dewey Finn (Jack Black) takes a substitute teaching position at an elementary school. Still pining for his touring days, Finn notices his students’ musical potential and puts them together in a band with the hope of entering a local “Battle of the Bands.” The students ditch class to prep for the big contest but still manage to learn a lot along the way.

Paddington in Peru

Paddington Bear is back after seven years for his third film. In the first two features, the adorable bear gets up to trouble in London, where he’s an icon of children’s literature. But the latest film is set in Paddington’s home country of Peru. The intrepid bear sets off for the old country with the Browns after hearing some troubling news about Aunt Lucy, who raised him as an orphan. Paddington’s adventures in the rainforest give him a chance to learn more about himself.

A Dog’s Journey

Raised by Ethan (Dennis Quaid), Bailey is a dog who can reincarnate in different bodies with the same mind and memories. In this sequel to the 2017 film A Dog’s Purpose, Bailey is again given the mission of protecting Ethan’s granddaughter CJ (Kathryn Prescott). This time reincarnated as Molly, it’s time to find CJ and fulfill the promise.

Dog Man

The latest animation from DreamWorks is about a superhero created in a terrible accident who becomes half dog and half man. Well-known animated TV writer and producer Peter Hastings directs the movie and is the voice of Dog Man. Some of America’s top comedians, such as Pete Davidson and Lil Rel Howery, round out the voice talent. Can Dog Man come to terms with his hybrid nature and thwart a nefarious plot by a supervillain cat named Petey to save the day?

One Win

When former professional volleyball player Woojin (Song Kangho) unexpectedly becomes the coach of Pink Storm, a girls’ volleyball team on the verge of being disbanded, Woojin, club owner Jeongwon (Park Jeongmin), and team captain Yoora (Han Yoomi) attempt to engineer the team’s first win.

Sing Sing

This film is named for Sing Sing Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison in the town of Ossining, New York. John “Divine G” Whitfield (Colman Domingo), an artist who was framed as a murderer, launches a rehabilitative theater program for inmates. As actors on stage, the inmates find a new source of meaning in their lives.

Unstoppable

This is a biopic about Anthony Robles, an American wrestler born without a right leg. The film details Robles’ dramatic journey to overcome his disability and become the national wrestling champion. Perhaps a happy ending is no surprise, but the story of Anthony (Jharrel Jerome) over- coming every obstacle to achieve his dream remains compelling.

Dead Poets Society

Literature professor John Keating (Robin Williams) is not your typical teacher at Welton Academy, an elite boarding school with strict rules and stodgy traditions. He has his students rip up their books and stand on top of their desks, teaching them to view the world through fresh eyes. But change is not welcome at this conser- vative boarding school.

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