Highlights
- Jeremy Allen White takes on the role of Bruce Springsteen in “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” a film focusing on the dark and solitary creation of the 1982 folk album “Nebraska.”
- The movie departs from traditional biopic formulas, presenting a somber character study of an artist exorcising personal demons through his work.
- While White’s intense, brooding performance is earning praise, the film itself is being called a “quiet, wintry contemplation” rather than a celebratory rock story.
- The narrative shines a light on the crucial support team behind “The Boss,” including a standout performance by Jeremy Strong as manager Jon Landau.
“The Bear” star Jeremy Allen White is trading his chef’s apron for a leather jacket in “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” a film that delves into one of the most pivotal and introspective periods of the rock icon’s career. However, audiences expecting a bombastic celebration of Springsteen’s greatest hits will be met with a starkly different experience.
A Character Study, Not a Concert
Directed by Scott Cooper (“Crazy Heart”), the film deliberately sidesteps the typical music biopic formula. Instead of a life-spanning epic, it offers a focused and moody exploration of the months in late 1981 when Bruce Springsteen, fresh off a tour, retreated into a rental home in Colts Neck, N.J. It was here, haunted by a turbulent childhood and his emotionally distant father, that he wrote and recorded the landmark acoustic album, “Nebraska.”
Based on Warren Zanes’ 2023 book, the movie paints a portrait of the creative process as a lonely and transformative journey. It’s a deep dive into how an artist spills their guts to create something so deeply personal it becomes universal.
White Embodies the Brooding Boss
Jeremy Allen White hunches into the role, capturing Springsteen’s signature intensity. While not a perfect doppelgänger, White embodies the spirit of The Boss, nailing his “flinty gaze and rock ‘n’ roll rasp.” He brings the same soulful, brooding energy that has made his character in “The Bear” a cultural phenomenon.
The film visualizes Springsteen’s internal turmoil through stark black-and-white flashbacks and late-night drives. We see him drawing inspiration from dark source material, including Flannery O’Connor stories, Terrence Malick’s film “Badlands,” and the real-life horror of spree killer Charles Starkweather, whose story became the foundation for the album’s title track.
The Lo-Fi Genius of “Nebraska”
For audiophiles, the movie is a treat. It meticulously details the album’s unconventional creation. Armed with a four-track recorder brought by his guitar tech (Paul Walter Hauser), Springsteen recorded the haunting tracks in his bedroom. The film highlights his insistence on releasing the raw, distorted cassette tape as the final album, a move that baffled his engineer, Chuck Plotkin (Marc Maron), and record executives.
The Team Behind the Vision
The film also serves as a tribute to the unsung heroes who support an artist’s vision. Jeremy Strong delivers a powerful performance as Springsteen’s long-suffering but fiercely loyal manager, Jon Landau. The narrative shows how Landau fought to protect both Springsteen’s creative space and the integrity of his unconventional art.
While “Deliver Me From Nowhere” excels as a thoughtful exploration of artistic struggle, it deliberately denies the audience soaring, triumphant moments. Its style is rough and intimate, favoring quiet contemplation over stadium-sized highs. Though some may find it meanders into its own depressive mood, it stands as a valiant and fascinating attempt to understand the soul of an artist and the music that moves us.
Image Referance: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-10-23/springsteen-deliver-me-from-nowhere-review-jeremy-allen-white-strong-nebraska