Before Born in the U.S.A. skyrocketed him into the musical stratosphere, Bruce Springsteen put out a more personal album, one that helped him battle some of his inner demons. Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is about how those songs came to life.
Springsteen Deliver Me From Nowhere Review
Prior to this film, if you had asked me to name a Springsteen song I wouldn't have been able to. I knew who he was but song titles? No. What about Born in the USA? Yes, I know the song, however I didn't know it was his song. In my defense Springsteen is far more my mother's type of music than mine. Even the events of this biopic all took place prior to me being born. That's not to say I don't enjoy music made before my birthday but his type of rock is not my cup of tea. I say all that not to draw the ire of anyone. I'm just pointing out I'm not the target audience for this. Despite that though I found myself interested during certain moments, as my genuine admiration for the creative process is strong.
Deliver Me From Nowhere is a slow-moving, subdued story about a brooding musician who is fighting his inner demons by writing songs no one asked for. They are songs about lost souls and serial killers, memories and sadness. Here is a young artist who is gaining infamy by the minute yet still can't escape what is gnawing away at his soul. It's an interesting look at how the Nebraska album was made and insightful for fans who are eager to learn more about Springsteen. Jeremy Allen White does an amazing job embodying The Boss, from his movements to his sound. It might not be the most exciting timeframe of Bruce's long career but it is key to his evolution as an artist.
Based on Warren Zanes' biography of the same name, Deliver Me From Nowhere sees Bruce Springsteen (White) set to become a big-time rock star following the success of his latest album The River and its sold-out tour. Everyone from Columbia Records executive Al Teller (David Krumholtz) and his manager Jon Landau (Jeremy Strong) to the fans are waiting for his next Top 10 hit. Everyone, except Bruce himself. There is something wrong in his soul and he needs to figure it out. How does a musician do that? Through song of course. These won't be what anyone is expecting but these are exactly what Bruce needs in order to move forward in his life.
This movie flies in the face of most biopics. If you've seen Bohemian Rhapsody or Bad Luhrmann's Elvis then you've witnessed a more flashy approach to this genre. Scott Cooper's Deliver Me From Nowhere takes a minimalist approach to getting to know this part of Bruce's story. The audience gets plenty of time to sit with him, learning the ins and outs to his process. Credit here goes to White's performance because he is able to convey so much with very little dialogue in certain scenes. Outside of his doomed relationship, more on that in a second, the part of the film that fascinated me the most was the lo-fi way Bruce recorded the songs for Nebraska. How those demos he recorded with his guitar tech Mike Batlan (Paul Walter Hauser) on that old equipment ended up capturing the exact vibe Bruce was going for. The lengths they had to go to preserve that sound was insane. But I agree with Bruce, it was worth the pain because it did sound better.
The first hour is pretty slow-moving, which is saying something because the film itself is slow-moving. Here is where Bruce finds the inspiration for his songs, from an old movie to a brief fling. Although this doomed love is one of the film's best qualities. White and Odesssa Young have a solid chemistry that allows Bruce and Faye's romance to feel real and full of passion. It's easy to see how a troubled rockstar could fall for a small-town, single mother. Unfortunately, Faye is a composite character, meant to stand in for several of the women Bruce was seeing during that time. That knowledge soured these moments for me a little bit, as their relationship not only inspired his music but also helped him realize a step he needed to take in the direction of healing.
During the second half, Bruce finally comes face-t0-face with his unresolved issues related to his alcoholic, abusive and depressed father Douglas (Stephen Graham). Bruce is riddled with anxiety and fighting depression himself, sabotaging his love life and threatening to do the same with his friends. White portrays it all. The tension within Bruce as he wrestles with himself, the haunted look in his eyes, and the fervor when creativity strikes. White doesn't disappear into a caricature of Springsteen, but rather gives the emotional and physical performance of his career. His work is complex and fascinating, even if the film isn't on the same level.
Verdict
Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is an interesting entry to the music biopic genre. It's not about fame or some big splashy moment in a musician's career. Rather it's about the burden fame can carry and the deafening silence that envelopes an artist when they are struggling to cope with life. Jeremy Allen White gives the performance of his career, embodying Bruce and showing us not an icon but the man behind the stage persona. It's slow-burning and is likely not going to appeal to a wide audience but fans of the Boss will find it interesting and those curious about the legend will learn a lot.
Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is now playing in theaters. It is rated PG-13 for thematic material, some sexuality, strong language, and smoking with a runtime of 119 minutes.
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