'Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere' - A dedicated and earnest biopic

THE regular production of Hollywood biopics based on the lives of celebrated musicians continues unabated with this film focusing on the life of Bruce Springsteen from writer-director Scott Cooper.

Cooper, best known for his 2009 Oscar-winner Crazy Heart, takes a similar approach to that film in this intimate look at an earlier point in the career of the rock star that came to be known as “the Boss”.

Music biopics are so commonplace nowadays that it is difficult for filmmakers to come up with something that feels neither formulaic nor something overly sanitised that the artist’s estate will feel most comfortable with.

Cooper largely succeeds with the latter but stumbles in attempting to avoid overfamiliarity.

The year is 1981. Bruce Springsteen (Jeremy Allen White) has just concluded his legendary tour of The River album and is rather exhausted, emotionally and physically.

His manager Jon Landau (Jeremy Strong) rents a house for Springsteen in Colts Neck, New Jersey, so that he can have time to take stock and unwind.

The star’s label is delighted with the success of the previous album and tour and believes that the follow-up will be the one to make Springsteen a global phenomenon.

Though less than enthusiastic, Springsteen decides to record demos for the new tracks himself at the Colts Neck house, intending to rerecord them with the E Street Band at a later date.

Inspired by the writings of Flannery O’Connor and watching Terrence Malick’s film Badlands (itself inspired by the Starkweather spree killings); Springsteen throws himself into the writing process.

What emerges is some deeply personal material, related to his youth growing up Freehold New Jersey and his strained relationship with his alcoholic father Douglas (Stephen Graham).

As the pressures of his fame and how bigger it will soon become take their toll on his mental health, Springsteen reaches a personal and professional impasse with the songs, many of which later appeared on his seminal 1982 album Nebraska.

The runaway success of Springsteen’s Born in the USA album in 1984 might be the obvious career moment that comes to mind for many but Cooper, harnessing that Crazy Heart energy once more, decides to focus on the darkness that came before that particular dawn.

It may come as surprise to many; including myself that Springsteen struggled with severe depression during that time but that is exactly what Cooper chooses to confront with Deliver Me from Nowhere.

It’s a bold choice and it is probably what sets this film apart many other music biopics, even if the structural familiarities are still there.

The recent Bob Marley biopic One Love, for instance, looked at his multi-platinum-selling Exodus album.

Cooper takes a very raw, emotionally-charged look at Springsteen at his most sincere but also his most vulnerable and the result is a film that is never less than compelling. Allen White (who does his own singing) is utterly dedicated in the title role.

It’s an honest, understated approach that will likely delight Springsteen devotees. Concert scenes are sparse and unpolished, while that narrative largely consists of the star’s interactions with manager Landau and engineers and producers.

The E Street Band makes brief appearances but none of them have any lines. It’s a bit odd see the likes of Clarence Clemons and Max Weinberg, exceptional musicians in their own right, rather sidelined.

The only serious issue however with this approach is that while fans will be able to follow proceedings, newcomers and others who know little about Springsteen might find it somewhat esoteric or inaccessible.

While it might not work for non-Springsteen fans, Deliver Me from Nowhere is as dedicated and earnest a music biopic as you are likely to see.

RATING: ***

Matthew McCaul