Although I grew up on oldies and classic rock, I didn’t know many Bruce Springsteen songs until I began producing music reaction videos for YouTube a few years ago.
At that point, I dove headfirst into “The Boss’s” catalog, listening to every one of his studio albums, most of his big concerts, and several documentaries. (I’m currently going through the newly released box set, Tracks II: The Lost Albums, over on Patreon.) So, when Fox Searchlight announced, and subsequently released a trailer for, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, a Bruce biopic about the making of Nebraska (my favorite Springsteen album), and starring a top young actor, I was excited.
I was able to catch the film opening day, and the short verdict is: I enjoyed it. It was good. But it wasn’t great.
Overall well-written and directed by Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart), the film is told in non-linear format, which I generally like as a narrative device. It’s set partially in the ’50s during Bruce’s childhood and primarily in 1981, following The River tour, with the record label pressuring Bruce to produce a new record….
Adapted and updated from Words Like That S3 E9.
Cole Powell is an arts and media commentator and award-winning singer/songwriter from Jayess, Mississippi, USA. Powell holds degrees in computer technology, liberal studies, and theology. He still wants to be a comic book artist when he grows up and learns to draw.
Check out Powell’s Top 20 iTunes U.S. Singer/Songwriter album The Social Distance, available everywhere.