Timothée Chalamet is brilliantly believable as Bob Dylan in ‘A Complete Unknown’, seen at The Light Cinema, Wisbech

Film review: A Complete Unknown (15) - seen at The Light Cinema, Wisbech

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Scoot McNairy, Monica Barbaro, Elle Fanning and Boyd Holbrook

Director: James Mangold Run time: Two hours, 21 minutes

Timothée Chalamet is quickly becoming one of the world's best and most versatile actors.

In just over a year the 29-year-old French-American has played the messiah Paul Atreides in Dune II, Willy Wonka and, now, the cool, brooding young Bob Dylan. And Chalamet has been brilliantly believable in all three vastly different roles.

A Complete Unknown charts the rise of Dylan from aspiring American folk singer in 1961 to rock God in 1965, culminating in his legendary and controversial electric performance at The Newport Folk Festival.

It also covers the talented singer-songwriter's friendships with folk royalty Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and his relationships with fellow star Joan Baez and girlfriend Suze Rotolo.

Edward Norton is quite superb as the gentle, affable Seeger and Scoot McNairy is wonderful as hospitalised Guthrie as he struggles with Huntington's Disease.

Elle Fanning is heartbreakingly good as Dylan's first love Sylvie Russo, clearly based on Rotolo. Boyd Holbrook is equally impressive as the super-cool Johnny Cash.

But almost as impressive as Chalamet is Monica Barbaro a Baez. The chemistry between the two is truly electric (no pun intended!). They both sing throughout, and their voices are eerily close to the stars they are portraying. This means classics such as Blowing in the Wind, Like A Rolling Stone, Mr Tambourine Man, The Times They Are a-Changing and It Ain't Me Babe are a joy to hear.

Dylan was super cool but not always the nicest guy in the room and Chalamet nails these parts of his complicated personality to perfection.

Sometimes when films stretch over more than two hours they can feel bloated but this one doesn't. Every minute is worthwhile and, although it's only January, this will surely be one of the best films anyone will see this year.

Rating: 9/10