Bruce Springsteen is an interesting specimen. There’s no denying his status as a rock’n’roll legend. And while I was never his biggest fan, he had a string of hits in the early to mid-1980s that I still love today. Yet Springsteen (affectionately known as The Chief) has always seemed to be a regional favorite. For example, it remains very popular in the Northeast but does not have the same kind of following in the South.
Nonetheless, Springsteen, 76, has released a total of 21 studio albums and sold more than 140 million records worldwide. Additionally, The Boss has won 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes and even an Oscar. These numbers alone speak volumes about the New Jersey native’s magnificent career. And now (as often happens), he has his own musical biopic. Unfortunately, this doesn’t do justice to Springsteen’s life story or musical career.
Based on Warren Zanes’ 2023 book of the same name, “Deliver Me From Nowhere” is a strangely blurry sketch of Springsteen’s life. Writer-director Scott Cooper looks at a specific moment in the singer-songwriter’s history. It’s a fascinating period, perfect for a “slice-of-life” musical biography. But instead of focusing more, the film frequently returns to another part of Springsteen’s life. Unfortunately, we’re left with a film hampered by two out-of-sync and underdeveloped stories competing for screen time.
In a way, “Deliver Me From Nowhere” is about Bruce (Jeremy Allen White) in his early 30s, fresh off the enormous success of his multi-platinum double album “The River.” After his final show of his year-long tour, Bruce informs his loyal and supportive manager Jon Landau (a terrific Jeremy Strong) that he is returning home to New Jersey to “slow things down a little“. In Asbury, Bruce reconnects with his past, which inspires him to begin writing and recording a collection of new songs.
Bruce ended up writing several surefire hits. But instead of freeing them, his heart leads him towards something more personal. He then recorded a series of acoustic folk songs which would form his sixth album, “Nebraska”. But his label wants to take full advantage of his popularity with a new album full of hits. An acoustic folk album is not what they had in mind. Yet Bruce persists. And what makes the sell even harder is his insistence that there be no press, no singles and no tours.
The creative tensions between Bruce remaining true to his beliefs and the record executives’ desire to capitalize on his fame are where the film is at its best. But there is another story that attempts to explore the more personal themes of generational trauma and depression. It is a series of flashbacks scattered throughout the film that focus on Bruce’s complicated relationship with his abusive alcoholic father (Stephen Graham).
The father-son angle begins in 1957, during Bruce’s childhood, and ends with a surprisingly neat finale. The problem is that we’re missing so many details that would better explain Bruce’s feelings towards his father. Worse still, their troubled relationship seems to haunt Bruce, leading to bouts of depression. But his internal conflict doesn’t translate well on screen. Most of the time we don’t know what’s wrong with Bruce. Only later do we get something resembling an explanation.
As the script bounces him between stories, White devotes his entire being to the portrayal of Springsteen. There are times when the resemblance is uncanny both in his appearance and in his mannerisms. Other moments aren’t as compelling. Strong delivers another round of strong biographical support. And Odessa Young is very good as the single mother who becomes Bruce’s love interest. Unfortunately, Young’s character is weakened by the confusing management of Bruce’s mental state.
There’s no denying that Bruce Springsteen deserves his own biopic. “Deliver Me From Nowhere” offers a simple overview of his creative journey rather than a celebration of it. Instead, it attempts to balance the music with a more personal story of strained family relationships and mental health. Cooper’s intentions are noble, and he delivers energetic scenes and enlightening moments (like Bruce playing with friends at The stone pony or his growing discomfort with fame). But it all seems poorly organized, and there’s too much superficial treatment to do justice to the life and career of this music legend.
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