Neil Young has given his verdict on the new Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.
The film, directed by Walk the Line’s James Mangold, stars Timothée Chalamet as the Nobel Prize-winning singer-songwriter, during the period when he controversially “went electric”.
Young, a musical contemporary of Dylan who performed alongside him in Martin Scorsese’s seminal 1978 concert film The Last Waltz, shared his views on the film on his personal website, the Neil Young Archives.
“I love Bob Dylan and his music. Always have. He’s a great artist,” wrote Young. “Once he was on my bus and I didn’t recognise him and threw him off but that’s another story.
“This movie is a great tribute to his life and music. I think if you love Bob’s music you should see this great movie. I loved it.”
Dylan has also championed the biopic, writing on X/Twitter: “There’s a movie about me opening soon called A Complete Unknown (what a title!). Timothée Chalamet is starring in the lead role. Timmy’s a brilliant actor so I’m sure he’s going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me.”
He added: “The film’s taken from Elijah Wald’s Dylan Goes Electric — a book that came out in 2015. It’s a fantastic retelling of events from the early ‘60s that led up to the fiasco at Newport. After you’ve seen the movie, read the book.”
In 2019, Young and Dylan shared a bill at Hyde Park, as part of London’s BST Summertime festival.
Earlier this month, Young was confirmed as one of the headliners for the 2025 Glastonbury Festival. He joins Rod Stewart on the lineup, who was previously announced for the Legends slot.
In a three-star review of A Complete Unknown for The Independent, critic Clarisse Loughrey wrote: “James Mangold, with his new Dylan biopic, has come armed with ropes and tent pegs. He’s the kind of sturdy, reliable filmmaker who’s settled at the very foundations of Hollywood – the man behind Marvel’s Logan (2017), Ford v Ferrari (2019), and last year’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
“And he’s cast a real star of the moment, Timothée Chalamet, who’s faithfully dedicated himself to the rickety suspension bridge of Dylan’s voice, the cocked head, and wry smirk.
“A Complete Unknown takes a reverent stance to Dylan’s artistry, populated by technically accomplished musical performances (Chalamet’s voice isn’t perfect, but it’s undoubtedly impressive), and shot with a real sensitivity to the emotional landscape of each track.”
