Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere (2025)

Film Details

Director: Scott Cooper

Run Time: 1hr 52m

Cast: Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Stephen Graham, Odessa Young, Paul Walter Hauser, Gabby Hoffman

Synopsis:

On the cusp of global stardom, New Jersey rocker Bruce Springsteen struggles to reconcile the pressures of success with the ghosts of his past.

My Review

Bruce Springsteen’s biopic navigates the difficulties of coming to terms with one’s self, understanding the signs of mental deterioration and ultimately becomes an important advocate for seeking help during our darkest times. Jeremy Allen White performs well but unfortunately I find it difficult to distinguish this performance from his previous outings in The Bear and The Iron Claw, and as a result, it felt recycled and repetitive at times. I commend the dedication to learning the instruments and developing his singing ability, but it’s still a very similar performance to what we have seen before. I did, however, really enjoy the supporting performances, they were subtle, yet incredibly effective and Jeremy Strong shines in particular, enhancing the emotional moments with his characters profound empathy and understanding, whilst Stephen Graham’s contrasting character boasts an equally impressive performance, despite his limited screen time.

I must admit, I am a sucker for a black and white flashback and where some people might see it as cliche, I always appreciate filmmakers who incorporate them into their films! Scott Cooper utilised the visual representation of past and present really well, emphasising the cause and effect of Bruce’s trauma through the use of colour. We are experiencing a flush of biopics in recent times and musical biopics in particular have a rather repetitive nature. Deliver Me From Nowhere doesn’t really do enough to break the usual mould and I fear this could be forgotten about pretty quickly, despite having enjoyed the film. I always find it interesting to learn about a musicians story, but the inherent link between success, fame and mental health can only be played out so much before audiences start to get bored, to coin the phrase “the same play, just different actors”. This demands technical excellence or  alternatively, a strong unique selling point, to stand out from its competitors in an overcrowded market, something unfortunately this latest biopic didn’t have.

My Rating: 6.7 out of 10

Thanks for reading!

Film Review Club