Musical biopics have seen a renaissance over the past decade and yet another musical legend’s story has made it to the big screen. Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere covers a specific, pivotal time in Bruce Springsteen’s, played by Jeremy Allen White, life just as he’s on the cusp of transitioning from a star to a superstar. While working on the album that would become Nebraska, Springsteen becomes increasingly depressed over his chaotic childhood and relationship with his alcoholic and mentally ill father Douglas (Stephen Graham). The young star must try to navigate creating while trying to keep it together mentally.
As a film structured around documenting a specific, rough patch in Springsteen’s life, it goes without saying that this film is largely centered around the struggle to confront and overcome past trauma. Bruce is a young man haunted by the behavior of his alcoholic, abusive father during his childhood as presented in Deliver Me From Nowhere through black and white flashbacks to the Springsteen household circa 1950s New Jersey. The feelings of fear, inadequacy, and anger stick with Bruce as he ascends to superstardom and works to ensure that his creative output keeps up the pace. His tumultuous past remains a barrier to a clear head and the story of Lincoln, Nebraska spree killer Charles Starkweather, himself a troubled young man pushed to the brink of rage at the hands of childhood abuse from a working class father only pushed to remind him of his lingering pain. The film utilizes both the childhood flashbacks and present day depressive episodes and creative block to create a picture of how trauma is both established and lingers if not addressed, with no care for the status or riches of those inflicted. Displaying this through the lens of an eventual legend and current superstar makes this point stark and White’s performance displays a level of believable vulnerability while embodying a figure that the audience is closely familiar with that strengthens what the story is seeking to communicate.
From the opening scene that features a trademark energetic Springsteen performance, it’s clear that White would come to embody Springsteen in his performance. White completely becomes Springsteen in the musical performances, but also hits the emotional notes that power the film and make Deliver Me From Nowhere what it is. He makes you care about Bruce the person not just the music legend through his portrayal of a hurt young boy turned young man, human just like the rest of us despite his talent and success. White was tasked with disappearing twice in this role, once by making the audience forget he is an actor portraying a recognizable legend and another time by making the legend appear vulnerable and human instead of like a superstar. That White effectively does both is laudatory.
Beyond its exploration of trauma, Deliver Me From Nowhere also provides an interesting look at artistry, namely the use of art as catharsis and a slight glimpse into the eternal battle between art and commerce. As Bruce seeks to overcome his depression, the only outlet he seems to be able to find on his own is crafting new music. He puts his feelings of melancholy into new tracks that depart from his energetic rock and roll and move toward introspective, stripped down acoustics. Putting his feelings into chords and lyrics provides some respite for his trials and tribulations, which of course eventually puts him at odds with his record label which wants catchy radio hits. The push and pull between making money and making art is only touched upon briefly, but is interesting to see play out onscreen and only serves as additional pressure that could be placed on Bruce’s shoulders had it ever reached his ear.
His godsend in this regard is his manager Jon, played strongly by Jeremy Strong, who is at once Bruce’s closest confidant and his main advocate in giving him the space and support he needs to create the music he’s inspired and healed by. Strong provides an exemplary portrayal of friendship and professional support as Jon, often serving as the audience stand-in for those who wish they could help the Boss through his emotional turmoil. It’s an effective balance for White’s Springsteen that Strong nails. The two have undeniable chemistry that buoys the film as a whole. Springsteen: Deliver From Nowhere will appeal to both longtime fans of the music legend and film fans appreciative of quality acting and deep, emotional character study.
Image: 20th Century Studios
