‘A Complete Unknown’ Scene-Stealer Boyd Holbrook on Johnny Cash, Playing a Perfect Drunk and His ‘Morning Show’ Role
variety.comMatt Donnelly Senior Film Writer The early word on James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown” has rightly centered around a tremendous Timothée Chalamet performance, and an exciting discovery in Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez.
But there’s a dark horse hiding in this story of Dylan’s overnight success and controversial decision to use electric guitars in the mid-‘60s: an unrecognizable Boyd Holbrook playing Johnny Cash as you’ve never seen him.
The star of “Narcos,” “Logan” and “The Bikeriders” portrays a young Cash arriving in Dylan’s life as a fan and, perhaps, an older brother figure — a salty dog who isn’t afraid to express his adoration for Dylan’s resonant poetry and unusual sound.
They interact mostly during the film’s centerpiece scene, a recreation of the Newport Folk Festival where Dylan captured hearts and, later, angered a devout swathe of music fans faithful to acoustic sounds.
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