Released on October 24th, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere follows Bruce Springsteen’s making of his famous album “Nebraska.” The biopic, which follows the difficult time in the artist’s life that the album was produced, draws influences from both the book “Deliver Me from Nowhere,” published in 2023, and Springsteen’s autobiography. The film stars Jeremy Allen White, a rising star known for his roles in “Shameless” and “The Bear,” who represents the musical artist through intense emotion and a striking replication of Springsteen’s voice.
The film details Springsteen’s temporary retirement to a home in Freehold, New Jersey, with the help of his manager, Jon Landau. Still committed to his music, Bruce employs Mike Batlan, his technician, to arrange his personal room into a studio. In contrast to a more professional and public recording, this intimate setting allowed for the exploration of more personal and intense themes. Springsteen draws influence from his early childhood, including dark memories like confronting his alcoholic father. Despite his growing popularity and increasing opportunities, he remains focused on his album. After a brief confrontation with his father, Springsteen travels to New York to record the new album with the E Street Band. After two weeks of recording, he remains unsatisfied with the album. Insisting on not releasing the new recording, Jon Landau agrees to release the raw demo as the album, using older recording equipment to recreate the tape as the master vinyl.
Springsteen tells his love interest, Faye Romano, that he is moving across the country to Los Angeles, and he departs, experiencing a mental breakdown on the way. Landau reaches out to Springsteen, urging him to seek help. After months of growth and recovery, he returns to tour with the support of Landau and his parents.
“Springsteen” is not a typical Hollywood production and has received mixed reviews from audiences and critics. Instead, it follows the true experiences and emotions of a growing artist, yet some say it has fallen short of this endeavor as well. Despite an impressive performance from Jeremy Allen White, many claim that the story doesn’t capture the whole story and emotion that the artist experienced. Despite potential shortcomings, the biopic details the life and story of an individual many know of, but not about, and is a valuable watch for all fans.
