Springsteen on Broadway is a solo acoustic performance written and performed by Tony Award, Academy Award, and 20-time Grammy Award winner Bruce Springsteen. Based on his worldwide best-selling aut...
WHAT I LIKED: Bruce Springsteen is arguably the finest poet and performer in all of rock and roll, so a one-man stage show which mixes his autobiographical musings with life lessons and acoustic performances to back it all up is the perfect idea for him. His usual concerts are after all filled with similar moments of spoken prose which eloquently deal with humanity, hardship or personal struggle which relate in some way to each and every person in the audience, and this two and a half hour show is just like an extended version of those gems. He stands at the mic or sits at the piano and loosely goes through his life story, but it never gets close to the territory of naval-gazing as at each moment he (masterfully, though unsurpisingly) manages to bring back every experience to something universal - be it the nostalgia associated with childhood or one's hometown, aging, the difficultly of relationships, or the unmatched joy of music. Sure it's all scripted, but just like any great show, Springsteen sells everything he says with his musicality, grace and his brilliantly expressive face which translates everything he's saying beyond his masterfully composed words. And it's that in fact which makes this on-screen version so successful and - dare I say - cinematic, as filmmaker Thom Zimny is able to zoom in on these details whilst still taking in the atmosphere of the theatre and the connection with the audience. You really do feel like you're there, and that's thanks in large part to the delicately realised sound-design, but also some beautiful shots which pick up the warmth of the theatre and the stage. With such a powerful show to watch, that makes it a highly engaging and often very emotional thing to watch, and ultimately that's testament not only to Bruce himself, but also Zimny for bringing it to life.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: It is just two and a half hours of a guy sat talking and singing on stage, but for what it is it's damn near perfect.
VERDICT: A stage show that sees the finest poet and performer in rock and roll beautifully talk through his life in a way that translates to everyone, 'Springsteen on Broadway,' is engaging and often deeply moving, and is brought to the screen perfectly.
