“Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” provides 100 minutes of drama, emotion and insight into the Boss’ career. Unfortunately, the final 20 minutes of the film opt for an odd turn that left viewers disappointed.
The film focuses on the making of Springsteen’s 1982 album “Nebraska,” a major departure from his career output at that time. It highlights the inspiration of many tracks from the album, along with iconic tracks like “Born in the U.S.A.” and “Glory Days” that were originally planned for the record.
It is a beautiful movie throughout, taking viewers right back into 1980s New Jersey and New York City, nailing the boardwalk, diners and record studio settings. There are also plenty of flashbacks to Bruce’s childhood with his parents, the film going black and white for those.
Jeremy Allen White played Springsteen phenomenally, acing his mannerisms and not getting a step wrong. Jeremy Strong played Jon Landau, Bruce’s manager, providing a level-headed foil to Bruce. Stephen Graham was also impressive as Douglas, Bruce’s father.
A good portion of the movie focused on Faye Romano, Springsteen’s love interest at the time. Their relationship declines throughout the movie, which culminates in Bruce leaving his home in New Jersey for Los Angeles. Faye tries to tell him he won’t be able to run away from his own problems, but it is to no avail.
Bruce’s mental health seems to get worse as the album develops, recording it all in his home on acoustic guitar and harmonica only. As he heads for Los Angeles, we see him have a mental breakdown in Texas, but he still makes it to the west coast.
It is at this point where the plot begins moving too fast for its own good. Landau sets Bruce up with a therapist, and we see the first meeting between the two. Bruce is unable to express his current state at all, and it provides a very emotional climax.
Suddenly, the film jumps ten months into the future, with Bruce heading backstage after a concert. We see him meet Douglas backstage, as Bruce sits on his father’s lap for the first time. Douglas thanks him for all he’s done for the family, and the film essentially ends there.
While heartwarming, it all feels off. Bruce was adamant about “no singles, no tours, no press” for the record, and we don’t even get to see the finished product or any type of release. The album we have seen the creation of is just totally forgotten.
The movie almost feels unfinished in this way, somewhat spoiling a fantastic 80% of a biopic. It is still a satisfying watch, especially for proper Springsteen fans, but the ending left a sour taste in my mouth.
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