Despite Jeremy Allen White’s UNSETTLING brown contacts, “Deliver Me from Nowhere” is my FAVORITE music biopic I’ve seen for its atypical pacing — slowing down long enough to let you feel emotions.
“Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere” is about rock ‘n’ roll singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. You know him from his hit “Born in the U.S.A.,” but this film shows his deeper, broodier songwriting from his album “Nebraska.”
The film takes you through Springsteen’s journey making “Nebraska” in his bedroom in New Jersey, recording on a 4-track cassette recorder to capture acoustic, sometimes echoey songs.
But this isn’t just about him making music — it’s about his journey with depression, where he felt guilty for transitioning into stardom.
What I liked
My high school History of Film teacher, the man partly responsible for my love of film, used to tell us that the best movies are the ones where nothing much happens, but you get to sit with the characters and feel their emotions.
Throughout the making of “Nebraska,” Springsteen is struggling with depression, but he can’t pinpoint what’s wrong or explain what he’s feeling. I ADORE how mental health is portrayed here, as if it’s a lingering feeling that never goes away.
White’s performance SHOWS us Springsteen’s anguish instead of TELLING us. We can see his discomfort in his own skin and how he exists without knowing why he feels pain. Yet, a clue into why he feels the way he does is the black and white flashbacks to his childhood.
First, the black and white was the perfect visual representation that we were being shown moments from his childhood. Secondly, the flashbacks show that Springsteen didn’t get to be a kid.
From a young age, he took on the role of the protector and grew to be the adult in situations. He didn’t have a carefree childhood that kids SHOULD have.
This carries into adulthood, where Springsteen wrestles with self-worth, guilt and the belief that he doesn’t deserve the good that comes his way. Through this, we see how his childhood affects his everyday life and how it affects the way he isolates himself as an adult.
It scared me how White could SO accurately show despair, show pain and inner suffering that can’t be explained UNTIL you get professional help.
The end of the film shows Springsteen going to a therapist, and he breaks down and cries. He can’t voice his emotions, so he shows them. This scene wasn’t dramatized for the film, but did happen to Springsteen in real life.
As someone who has had their own journey with therapy and actively struggles with depression and feelings of guilt, it’s trippy to see someone else on the screen FEEL what you have felt.
What makes this film work SO well is the first-hand experience from Springsteen himself, as he was actively involved in the making of the film. Unlike in other films, like “A Complete Unknown” about Bob Dylan, where the artist themself wasn’t involved, “Deliver Me from Nowhere” felt like a product of Springsteen’s heart and soul.
The whole time I was geeking out with my inner music nerd sitting with the music, and feeling it from the perspective of KNOWING what Springsteen was experiencing at the time. Cameos of Sam and Jake Kiszka from Greta Van Fleet was the cherry on top.
And shout out to THE ultimate short king, the man himself, Jeremy Allen White. White’s 5-foot-7 stature was MORE than made up for with his charismatic portrayal of Springsteen. There’s just something about him that you’re drawn to, and it’s how relatable he makes emotions feel.
Not only is he charismatic, but he can SING too. His vocals were not dubbed with Springsteen’s at all — that was White singing the songs COMPLETELY by himself. There were moments when I really couldn’t tell if it was White or Springsteen singing.
What I didn’t like
The only thing I didn’t like was those damn brown-eyed contacts because they were FREAKY. I understand Springsteen has brown eyes and not blue like White’s, but at that point, let the man have his blue eyes. Something about them almost felt creepy, perhaps a lighter brown instead of DARK brown would’ve felt more natural.
Some reviewers are writing that they didn’t like Springsteen’s love interest, played by Odessa Young, but I didn’t mind because she added a romantic plot to the story. Also, she was based on a mix of women he dated — so I didn’t take her role too seriously BECAUSE she wasn’t one specific person.
The verdict
I’m rating “Deliver Me from Nowhere” 4 ½ stars out of five for White’s OUTSTANDING and deeply convincing portrayal of Springsteen. Sure, those brown eye contacts were unsettling, but that’s a small price to pay for a performance that feels this raw and human. I couldn’t help but be amazed.
What makes this film so powerful is how it doesn’t chase fame or glory. It takes its time, and sits in the silence and the weight of depression, guilt and self-doubt. This isn’t a flashy, fast-paced biopic about the rise of a rock star — it’s about a man trying to understand himself, and you FEEL every note, silence and ache.
