There are several great musical films to watch afterA Complete Unknownthat have similar themes, sounds, and concepts. Directed by James Mangold (Logan,Ford v. Ferrari),A Complete Unknownhas become one of thebest films of 2024, earning 8 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Timothée Chalamet. Like a handful of other actors in recent musician biopics, Chalamet completely transformed into his character. He portrays folk singer/songwriter Bob Dylan during a crucial period of his life and career that culminated at the1965 Newport Folk Festival.
Although Chalamet leads thecast ofA Complete Unknown, his co-stars Monica Barbaro and Edward Norton both received2025 Oscar nominationsas well. One reason whyA Complete Unknownreceived strong reviewsand earned a Rotten Tomatoes score of 80% is Chalamet’s convincing portrayal of Dylan. The accomplished actor accurately depicts not only Dylan’s rebellious personality but also his unique singing voice and exceptional guitar-playing talents. Films likeA Complete Unknownoffer a rare blend of history and performance that ultimately celebrate an artist’s legacy, highlighting the various songs and eras that built it.
Fans ofA Complete Unknownwould do well to watch the 2005 musical biopicWalk the Line.Also directed by James Mangold,Walk the Linenarrows its focus on another celebrated singer and guitar player, Johnny Cash. Interestingly, Cash was portrayed by Boyd Holbrook inA Complete Unknown, in a supporting role. Released nearly two decades ago,Walk the Linestars Joaquin Phoenix as the legendary singer from Kingsland, Arkansas. The film was released just two years after Cash died in 2003.
A Complete Unknown Was Right Not To Bring Joaquin Phoenix Back As Johnny Cash
James Mangold avoided casting Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash in A Complete Unknown to prevent distractions, letting Boyd Holbrook shine.
Walk the Linewas nominated for 5 Oscars and won Reese Witherspoon her first and only Best Actress Academy Award. Similar toA Complete Unknown,Walk the Line’stitle is taken from one of its protagonist’s songs. While Phoenix does a convincing job of playing Cash, he lost the Best Actor Oscar to Philip Seymour Hoffman inCapote.Walk the Linecaptures a broader timeline of Cash’s lifethanA Complete Unknowndoes for Dylan. It does dive into Cash’s personal and relationship issues outside his performances and fame, which also includes drug use.
WhileInside Llewyn Davisis a fictional story, it accurately captures the cultural setting and sensibilities of the early 1960s folk scene in Greenwich Village, New York. WhileA Complete Unknownis at its core a success story,Inside Llewyn Davispaints a portrait of the hundreds of hopeful folk singers who were unable to gain the acclaim and popularity of Bob Dylan. In fact, Dylan is briefly portrayed inInside Llewyn Davisbut does not have the spotlight as his character does inA Complete Unknown.
Inside Llewyn Davis Ending & Bob Dylan Cameo Explained
The Coen Brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis ends with a mysterious musician taking the stage, in what turns out to be a cameo by the great Bob Dylan.
Inside Llewyn Davisis one of the best movies written and directed by The Coen Brothers. It follows the talented but struggling folk singer Llewyn Davis, played by Oscar Isaac. While Llewyn Davis is a fictional character, he was loosely inspired by real-life folk singer Dave Van Ronk. Fans who enjoyed the musical performances inA Complete Unknownwill likely enjoy those found inInside Llewyn Daviseven if its tone is generally more bleak and tragic.
Before the release ofA Complete Unknown, the “Bob Dylan movie” would have most likely referred to 2007’sI’m Not There. Directed by Todd Haynes,I’m Not Therefeatures six actor portrayals of Bob Dylan’s various public personas, including Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, and Cate Blanchette.I’m Not Thereis much more experimental and abstract thanA Complete Unknown, which viewers should keep in mind before watching.
A Complete Unknownalso offers real-life figures and events from the early part of Dylan’s career, whileI’m Not Thereblends truth and fiction to encapsulate Dylan as an elusive and mysterious public figure.
I’m Not Therewas crafted with the Bob Dylan fan in mind, whereasA Complete Unknownis essentially universally accessible to viewers who aren’t educated on the enigmatic star.A Complete Unknownalso offers real-life figures and events from the early part of Dylan’s career, whileI’m Not Thereblends truth and fiction to encapsulate Dylan as an elusive and mysterious public figure. It is inspired by Dylan’s decade-spanning career as a musician and celebrity, whereasA Complete Unknownoffers a snapshot of his rise in the 1960s.
Crazy Heartis a fantastic and moving musical film about a fading country star named Otis “Bad” Blake, played by Jeff Bridges. While Blake is a fictional protagonist, he is inspired by country singer Hank Thompson, known for songs such as “The Wild Side of Life” and “A Six Pack to Go”. Written and directed by Scott Cooper (Hostiles,The Pale Blue Eye),Crazy Heartearned Bridges his first and only Best Actor Oscar winin an arguably career-best performance.
Chalamet’s portrayal of Dylan is more authentic than insightful inA Complete Unknown, whereas Bridges' Blake is conversely more emotionally expressive and accessible inCrazy Heart.
Crazy Heart’ssoundtrack features music by T Bone Burnett, who also worked onInside Llewyn Davis. Chalamet’s portrayal of Dylan is more authentic than insightful inA Complete Unknown, whereas Bridges' Blake is conversely more emotionally expressive and accessible inCrazy Heart. Rooted in classic Western themes,Crazy Heartis a story about addiction, similar toWalk the Line. The film ultimately cuts more deeply thanA Complete Unknownand is one of the best films of its kind.
A Star Is Bornhas been remade several times throughout Hollywood’s history but the 2018 Oscar-winning version is often considered the best of the bunch. Starring and directed by 12-time Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper,A Star Is Bornfeatures an incredible performance by Lady Gaga, which earned her a Best Actress nomination. Gaga did win the Best Original Song Oscar for the massively popular original song “Shallow”, which she performed with Cooper in the movie and live during the 2019 Oscars ceremony.
The biggest similarity betweenA Complete UnknownandA Star is Bornis the seamless blending of story and music throughout each film. Unlike traditional musicals which can burst into song at the drop of a hat,bothA Complete UnknownandA Star is Bornemploy music as narrative and character devices. Like Chalamet, Cooper and Gaga use their real singing voices, which enhances both films with an added layer of realism. Interestingly,A Star Is Bornwas also nominated for 8 Oscars.
Similar toA Complete Unknown,Elvischronicles a larger-than-life music figure with an Oscar-nominated lead performance by one of the biggest young Hollywood stars, Austin Butler. While the reviews forElvisare not quite as strong as those forA Complete Unknown, the Baz Luhrmann film was also nominated for 8 Oscars. The movie was also praised for Butler’s incredible performance as the King of Rock and Roll at various points in his life, all leading to his abrupt and untimely death that had the whole country mourning.
Potential viewers should be aware of a common critique ofElvis, which is that it places too much focus on Tom Hanks' character, Colonel Tom, rather than Elvis himself.
Elvisrepresents a completely different type of American musical phenomenonthat took place a decade before the rise of Bob Dylan. Still, points of it are a great point of comparison as to how the folksy singer rose to popularity. Potential viewers should be aware of a common critique ofElvis, which is that it places too much focus on Tom Hanks' character, Colonel Tom, rather than Elvis himself.
Get On Upis arguably one of the most underrated modern musical biopics in recent years.Starring Chadwick Boseman as legendary funk singer and musician James Brown,Get On Upwas not a box-office success when it was first released in 2014. Over time, however, its quality is amplified by Boseman’s electric performance, which has been better appreciated than when it first came out.
Ultimately, Get On Up offers a good peek at what life was like for the icon of funk, especially in terms of how racial disparity affected his journey as a musician.
Similar toA Complete Unknown,Get On Upoffers a great balance of story and soundtrack, making it a compelling watch, especially for fans of James Brown. While the story is somewhat scattered and even confusing to follow at times, Boseman is in his typically exceptional form and makes the film worth the ticket. Ultimately, Get On Up offers a good peek at what life was like for the icon of funk, especially in terms of how racial disparity affected his journey as a musician.
As a critically acclaimed musical biopic,Bohemian Rhapsodyfalls into the same category as many of the aforementioned films. Led by an Oscar-winning performance by Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury,Bohemian Rhapsodyfocuses on the meteoric rise of Mercury and the classic rock band Queen. Similar toA Complete Unknown,Bohemian Rhapsody– which is the name of the band’s most famous and epic song – is a celebration of the artist’s legacy and cultural impact.
Out of all the musical biopics mentioned, Malek may just have the greatest performance out of all the actors portraying famous musicians on film, at least according to the Academy Awards. Malek bagged the Best Actor trophy at the 91st Oscars, with the film winning Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing. Out of all the memorable moments in the movie, however,Bohemian Rhapsody’s recreation of Queen’s 1985 Live Aid performance at the original Wembley Stadium is a standout.
Rocketmanfinds Taron Egerton ofKingsmanacclaim taking on the role of music icon and legend, Sir Elton John. The film leans quite heavily into the musical genre and is not as straightforward of a biopic as some viewers may expect. Still, it’s able to fully capture the essence of the legendary British singer/songwriter’s journey, which includes his personal and professional struggles. Suffice it to say, Rocketman is a must-watch for Elton John’s fans.
It’s also worth noting that like Chalamet inA Complete Unknown, Egerton performed all the songs in Rocketman, and with prosthetics on, the feat is more impressive.
Sadly,Rocketmanwas not nearly as recognized by the Academy asElvisorA Complete Unknown.However, it did feature a brand new original song by Elton John in its soundtrack, “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” which earned the film its only Oscar nomination and win.It’s also worth noting that like Chalamet inA Complete Unknown, Egerton performed all the songs in Rocketman, and with prosthetics on, the feat is more impressive.
Begin Againis not a traditional musical biopic about a famous artist but it does offer a unique and down-to-earth perspective on the modern music industry. Released in 2014,Begin Againwas written and directed byJohn Carney, the celebrated filmmaker behindSing Street(2016) andOnce(2006), which are also great recommendations. The film features an all-star cast led by Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Adam Levine, Hailee Steinfeld, and Yasiin Bay.
Begin Againis also perfectly accompanied by great original soundtrack music, with some songs still comforting favorites among fans.
LikeA Complete Unknown,Begin Againtakes place in Manhattan, which offers an interesting point of comparison between the two musically driven films. While it doesn’t follow any real-life musical legend, the movie’s focus on characters and stories who often get lost in the shuffle when discussing the industry is compelling.Begin Againis also perfectly accompanied by great original soundtrack music, with some songs still comforting favorites among fans.
