While it was expected since the project was announced thatTimothée Chalametwould receive an Academy Award nomination for his performance asBob DylaninA Complete Unknown, the film has seemingly overperformed with both critics and audiences. Although it isn’t entirely surprising that a film about one of the most beloved artists of all-timewas a box office smash hit,the fact that it received eight Academy Award nominations indicates that the industry is just as enthusiastic about it.James Mangoldfinally received an Oscar nomination for Best Director, a surprising statistic when considering how many awards contenders he has directed. Although some may have criticized his nomination in comparison to the flashier work done bySean BakerinAnoraorBrady CorbetinThe Brutalist,Mangold’s Best Director recognition forA Complete Unknownis a deserving prize for one of the industry’s best journeyman filmmakers, who has been overlooked for far too long.
James Mangold Has Been Overlooked by the Oscars
Although he certainly has a talent for action films,given the work he did on blockbusterslikeThe WolverineandIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Mangold has a unique ability to draw excellent work out of his actors, and is partially responsible for some legendary, Oscar-winning performances.Angelina Joliebecame the star that she is today thanks to her work in Mangold’s 1999 dramaGirl, Interrupted, which earned her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Mangold also made his first attempt at a musician biopic with theJohnny CashfilmWalk the Line, which sawJoaquin Phoenixearning a Best Actor nomination, andReese Witherspoontaking home the Best Actress trophy for her scene-stealing role asJune Carter. Every aspect of the filmmaking process involves a level of collaboration, so it is unlikely that these actors would have been given the room to hone their performances had they not been in the hands of a uniquely talented filmmaker.
James Mangold Passes Ryan Coogler and Steven Soderbergh on List of Top 50 Highest Grossing Directors
Mangold’s ‘A Complete Unknown’ is playing successfully in theaters.
While the Best Director nomination had eluded him,Mangold has received other Oscar nominations for films he was involved in, which makes his snubs even more mystifying. Mangold was recognized as part of the writing team nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay forLogan, which at the time was one of the first instances inwhich a comic book movie was ever nominatedin a major category. Given that films likeBlack PantherandJokerwould go on to become Best Picture nominees, it’s challenging to see why Mangold was overlooked for a different superhero film that was arguably much better. Mangold also directed the Best Picture nomineeFord v. Ferrari, which proved to be a technical juggernaut when it took home the awards for Best Editing and Best Sound Editing. Considering the technical perfection that a film as intense asFord v. Ferrarirequired, it seems odd that Mangold wasn’t recognized for his incredible craftmanship.
‘A Complete Unknown’ Deserved Its Best Director Nomination
It’s easy to see why the Oscars would want to take the opportunity to finally show admiration for an artist who has been snubbed more than once, butMangold’s Best Director nomination forA Complete Unknownis more than just a “career trophy.”The subgenre of musician biopics (which in many ways Mangold helped initiate withWalk the Line) has grown only more popular in recent years, butA Complete Unknownwasn’t interested in providing a fact-based account of Dylan’s entire career trajectory. Instead, the film explored the unique place that folk and rock music were at in the 1960s, and even took the time to explore other iconic figures, likeMonica Barbaro’s Oscar-nominated turn asJoan Baez.
Although he did not take the type of formal risks thatCoralie Fargeatdid withThe SubstanceorJacques Audiardmade withEmilia Perez,Mangold crafted a challenging biopic withA Complete Unknownbecausehe was willing to criticize his subject.It would have been easy for Mangold to do nothing but generate positive buzz for Dylan, but he instead crafted a more understated film that suggested that his subject was not a perfect person. There is a level of skill needed to make subversive choices within commercially appealing films, and Mangold’s Best Director nomination signifies that the Oscars are paying attention to this.
A Complete Unknownis in theaters now.
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A Complete Unknown
