REVIEW: “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” (2025)

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Bruce Springsteen is a true rock and roll icon. Although I haven’t always been a huge fan, I still enjoy many of his popular songs from the early to mid-1980s. However, despite his legendary status, Springsteen – often called ‘The Boss’ – has always seemed more popular in certain areas. He’s incredibly beloved in the Northeast, for example, but doesn’t have quite the same level of popularity in the South.

Bruce Springsteen, now 76, has created 21 studio albums and sold more than 140 million records globally. He’s also received impressive recognition with 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, and an Academy Award. These accomplishments clearly demonstrate his incredible career. Now, like many musical icons, his life is the subject of a biopic, but unfortunately, the film doesn’t quite capture the full scope of his life and musical achievements.

Based on Warren Zanes’ 2023 book, the film “Deliver Me From Nowhere” presents a somewhat scattered look at Bruce Springsteen’s life. While the movie focuses on a particularly interesting period in his career—ideal for a biographical snapshot—it often jumps back to other times in his life. This unfortunately results in a film weighed down by two separate, and not fully developed, storylines vying for attention.

“Deliver Me From Nowhere” centers on Bruce (Jeremy Allen White), a musician in his early thirties, following the huge success of his double-platinum album, “The River.” After finishing a year-long tour with its final show, Bruce tells his dedicated manager, Jon Landau (played brilliantly by Jeremy Strong), that he’s returning to New Jersey to simplify his life. Back in Asbury Park, Bruce revisits his roots, which sparks a new wave of creativity and leads him to write and record fresh material.

Bruce wrote several songs guaranteed to be popular, but he decided against releasing them as he felt drawn to a more meaningful project. He created a collection of simple, folk-style songs which became his sixth album, “Nebraska.” However, his record label expected a commercially successful album filled with hit songs and wasn’t thrilled with his new direction. To make matters more difficult, Bruce refused to promote the album with publicity, single releases, or a concert tour, despite its potential to be a big success.

The film truly shines when it shows the conflict between Bruce staying true to himself and his record label trying to profit from his success. Alongside this, the movie also tries to delve into deeper, more personal issues like family trauma and depression. These themes are explored through flashbacks that reveal Bruce’s difficult relationship with his father, who struggled with alcohol abuse and was often unkind (played by Stephen Graham).

The story touches on Bruce’s relationship with his father, starting in 1957 when Bruce was a child and concluding with a neat resolution. However, the film lacks important details that would help us understand Bruce’s feelings about his father. This strained relationship clearly affects Bruce, contributing to periods of depression, but this inner struggle isn’t effectively shown. For a long time, it’s unclear what’s bothering Bruce, and a satisfying explanation doesn’t appear until much later in the film.

The movie jumps between different periods of Springsteen’s life, but White delivers a committed performance, fully immersing himself in the role. At times, his portrayal is remarkably like the real Springsteen in both appearance and behavior, though not always. Supporting actor Michael Shannon is reliably good, and Odessa Young shines as Bruce’s girlfriend, a single mother. However, the film doesn’t clearly depict Bruce’s internal struggles, which weakens the impact of Young’s character.

Bruce Springsteen certainly deserves a comprehensive film about his life, but “Deliver Me From Nowhere” only offers a brief look at his creative process, rather than a full celebration. The film tries to blend his music with personal struggles, like difficult family dynamics and mental health, and while the director has good intentions – delivering some lively scenes, like Bruce playing at The Stone Pony, and insightful moments about his discomfort with fame – it feels overly polished and doesn’t delve deep enough to truly capture the essence of this musical icon’s life and work.

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2025-10-27 18:58