Blinded by the Light (2019)
2019
PG-13
114 Minutes
In 1987, during the austere days of Thatcher’s Britain, a teenager learns to live life, understand his family, and find his own voice through the music of Bruce Springsteen.
User Review
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WHAT I LIKED: During a time in which it seems as though every pop music icon is getting a movie all of their own, it only seems appropriate that Bruce Springsteen should instead be the focus of a film about an everyday guy being inspired by his incredible songwriting. After all, The Boss is an artist whose songs all about characters longing to break free and escape the clutches of their lives connect extremely deeply with fans, so this true story of young Javed - a Pakistani boy from Luton who falls victim to personal and social turmoil finding solace in Bruce's music - is the perfect match.
It's ultimately as a result of this narrative idea that Springsteen's masterful lyrics can be taken and turned into powerful life lessons and observational musings which wouldn't have been the same in a biopic, but it only really translates because the film builds its central character and his surrounding situation so well. You really feel for Javed, and that's thanks in part to a script from director Gurinda Chada and Paul Mayeda Berges which builds plenty of situations where we understand him and sympathise as dreams of becoming a writer are squashed and he experiences racist and economic abuse, and it's also thanks to a very likable central performance from Vivek Kalra.
As a result of that grounding, when he discovers Springsteen and the intricacies of his greatest early hits, it's as liberating to watch as it is to put on your own Bruce record at home, and the wonder expressed by Javed on screen is extremely palpable. Leaving so much of this work injecting hope into the story to Bruce's records is brilliant, and as a central narrative device it not only makes for a very engaging and uplifting character story, but also a great tribute to Bruce's great songwriting and legacy.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: Once everything's established and Springsteen's powerful influence is felt, the narrative does wear a little thin as it effectively repeatedly sees Javed striving to achieve his dreams against all odds until he inevitably breaks through.
VERDICT: A neat true story about a character you care about who's given hope by the powerful songs of Springsteen, 'Blinded by the Light' may wear thin at times, but it's ultimately a great narrative executed well that's both uplifted by and pays perfect tribute to the timeless genius of The Boss.0 member like this review.
