Friday Film Review | 'Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere'

Friday Film Review: Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, directed by Scott Cooper and based on Warren Zanes’ book, offers an intimate portrait of Bruce Springsteen during a pivotal, personal moment rather than focusing on his rise to fame.

Plot and Setting

The film is set in the early 1980s, following the overwhelming success of The River. Exhausted by fame, Springsteen retreats to a modest New Jersey rental. Equipped with a four-track recorder and burdened by unresolved memories, he begins creating Nebraska, an album characterized by stripped-down, haunting storytelling instead of his usual stadium anthems.

Performances

Jeremy Allen White delivers a nuanced portrayal of Springsteen, embodying both his physicality and emotional depth. White performs all the vocals himself, a feat praised by Springsteen:

“I couldn’t tell who was singing on some tracks.”

Stephen Graham appears as Springsteen’s father in black-and-white flashbacks, portraying the complex and painful family dynamics that influenced Bruce’s music.

Artistic Focus

The film shines a light on Springsteen’s emotional struggles, self-doubt, and creative rebirth, highlighting a quieter chapter that shaped his artistic legacy.

“The film zooms in on a quieter chapter marked by emotional reckoning and creative reinvention.”

Author’s summary: This film offers a powerful glimpse into Springsteen’s vulnerable creative process during a transformative period, emphasizing inner conflict over stardom.

KPCW — 2025-11-07