Movie Review: Springsteen - Deliver Me from Nowhere

 Movie Number 40 of 2025

The Movie: Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

The Cinema: Hoyts Victoria Gardens

Runtime: Two hours

Stars: 4

When I found out that this movie was, in part, about the making of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska album, I had some reservations. The name takes me back to 1986, living at university college, where residents of my floor were submitted to listening to the album regularly and often. 

You see, Nebraska is an album to slit your wrist by. 

Okay, that's a bit harsh. 

Yes Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere is worth a look. Yes, it looks at Springsteen's depression in the early eighties before he made it to megastar status. 

In this biopic, Jeremy Allen White embodies Bruce Springsteen in the early eighties. Bruce is on the verge of super-stardom. He's come off a huge tour, and he's sent by his manager Jon Landau (Jeremy Strong) to spend some time writing his next album. Springsteen is depleted at the is stage - and his state of mind sets the stage for him to write and produce not only Nebraska, but some of his greatest hits, including Born it the USA, I'm on Fire and a number of other hits. 

Nebraska, on the other hand, was released with little fanfare - no singles, no tours, mostly acoustic sessions, taped in his bedroom and only gently improved upon. It's a huge divergence. 

Regardless, the film looks at Springsteen's process, and his depression. Flashbacks take him to look at his parents (Gaby Hoffman and Stephen Graham) and their dysfunctional marriage. He also attempts to have a relationship with Fay Romano (Australian actor Odessa Young) which he realises isn't a great thing to do seeing he's in the middle of a depressive cycle. 

Yet, for a movie about both music, and depression, I enjoyed this. Bruce Springsteen will always take me back to college, when things were a lot simpler. 

Scott Cooper's direction is assured. Although there is little action, the music scenes in particular, are fantastic. My only reservation is the hand-help camera shots feel overused, giving a claustrophobic, almost a seasick feel and Bruce succumbs to the depression. 

But this is Jeremy Allen White's film. He's great, taking on The Boss, not only acting, but singing throughout the film. I think there might be some Oscar buzz around this performance. 

This film should appease the Springsteen fans as well as anybody who likes a good drama about a man facing his demons. Some might find it a bit slow. For me, it was all about the performances and the music. It's very well done. 

Today's Song: