After halfway through November, the North American film scene specifies which films will be shown the big favorites for the 2025 Oscars. These speculations and predictions focus above all on interpretative considerations and that is why, from festivals like Cannes or Venice, certain names have been established that would cause a lot of talk on a red carpet which, on the other hand, will not announce its nominees only at the end of the ceremony. next January. The last to join this list of candidates was A complete strangera musical biopic about the early days of Bob Dylan where, according to first impressions, its protagonist Timothée Chalamet He would be more than assured of a new nomination for golden statuettes.
After a first screening a few hours ago in el Zanuck Theater in Los Angeles, A complete stranger has officially submitted its nomination for the Oscars. An event in the presence of the director James Mangoldseveral members of the artistic team and two of the secondary stars of the plot, Elle Fanning and Monica Barbaro. Of course, after the screening, many international critics took to the networks to express their opinions on the latest film in this Hollywood trend of telling the true stories of the great music legends. The highlight and on which most members of the specialized press agree is the performance of the young New York star, both in his natural interpretation and in his way of imitating the musical style of the songwriter- interpreter. Mangold already has some experience in the life of a legendary singer, since in 2005 with On the tightropetells the story of Johnny Cash through the interpretation of Joaquin Phoenix who would end up being nominated for an Oscar. Besides Chalamet, Fanning and Barbaro, the supporting cast is rounded out by such recognizable actors as Edward Norton, Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Blutz, Scoot McNairy and Charlie Tahanamong others. But how did the first critics who saw it define the film?
“A complete stranger”: impressions
If Mangold already has experience in interpreting music-loving legends, his presence at the Oscars also gave him a certain status as an effective director, knowing how to link the creation of particularly well-told stories, while awakening a purely emotional connection with the spectators. So, after a fantastic debut in the 90s with titles of the caliber of Heavy, Copland either Innocence interruptedthis 60-year-old filmmaker created buzz at the Oscars by being nominated for the first time in the category of best adapted screenplay for logan in 2018 and consideration for Best Film thanks to Le Mans 66. And for those who have already seen it, A complete stranger is a serious candidate for numerous awards at the future 97th edition of the most famous awards in the film industry.
Produced by Walt Disney and distributed by Fox Searchlight, A complete stranger have not yet received official title in our country. This is most likely a literal translation of A Complete Stranger, although considering it’s coming to theaters soon February 28, 2025it is still early to make a decision regarding its international strategic promotion. Regardless of these terms, several critics gave their opinions on the film on social networks, most praising the outcome of this drama set in the 60s.
One of the first was Anne Thompson of IndieWire: A complete stranger “James Mangld draws heavily on the early music of Bob Dylan and has the power to be the origin story of a myth.” Subsequently, praise for the Dune actor was quick to come from the public, as was the case with journalist Scott Menzel, who took to the social network X to express his surprise facing Chalamet’s work, defining his work as “feat of strength» (action of great effort and skill).
“Thimotée Chalamet offers the performance of the year in A complete stranger. A real tour de force in which Chalamet never appears. “Chalamet’s performance is not just about voice and appearance, but also about all the little nuances and gestures that he brings seamlessly into his life as Bob Dylan.”
Podcast host Kris Tapley assured his confidence in the protagonist, explaining that the Oscar race It would be decided between Chalamet and Ralph Fienneswho leads the exceptional Conclave. Finally, the editor of Variety Clayton Davis, defined the Oscar-nominated performer’s performance for Call me by your name as “a natural determination”with a Mangold who “directs with confidence”, through “magnificent sets and costumes”.
