“Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” is not the sweeping Bruce Springsteen biopic many fans might expect. Rather than covering his entire career or offering an epic tour through his life and music, the film is set over several months in 1981 and 1982, when Springsteen moved back to Central New Jersey after The River Tour and began recording songs alone in his bedroom. Those demos would become “Nebraska,” a dark, spare, acoustic album in which Springsteen is the only credited musician.
When “Nebraska” was released in 1982, it was not the album many fans wanted either. At its best, “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” is the “Nebraska” of Bruce Springsteen films: a dark, focused character study, narrowing its gaze to Bruce the man, not the rock icon, but the New Jersey native wrestling with personal struggles.
Jeremy Allen White stars as Springsteen, spending much of the film in a rented house in Colts Neck, writing, reflecting, and experimenting with recording equipment. The rest of the film takes place in studios, diners and coffee shops, where Springsteen meets with his loyal manager, Jon Landau, played by Jeremy Strong. The film repeatedly shows the two eating together, humorously echoing the song title “Hungry Heart.”
As expected, the record company dislikes “Nebraska,” but Springsteen and Landau stand firm on releasing it. They insist there be no singles, no tour, and no interviews, arguing the album should speak for itself. The film’s existence, 40 years later, suggests some further explanation is now acceptable.
This may be the only fitting approach for a movie about “Nebraska”: minor-key, with the E Street Band largely absent. In “Deliver Me From Nowhere,” darkness is not just on the edge of town, it blankets Monmouth County. White brings emotional depth to the role, effectively portraying an artist on the brink of psychological collapse.
Still, writer-director Scott Cooper could have pushed further. The real Springsteen refused to compromise on “Nebraska,” shelving the full-band versions in favor of his bedroom demos. His team struggled for weeks to convert the crude, improperly recorded tapes into a master. The result was Springsteen’s most personal and direct work, which he himself now calls his definitive album.
While the film’s compressed timeline reflects an uncompromising spirit, Cooper’s attempts to lighten the mood sometimes feel out of place. The film opens with a concert scene from the end of The River Tour, which does little for the story but lets audiences see “rock star Bruce” before the film settles into its more somber tone. Later, studio scenes with the E Street Band feature a high-energy recording of “Born in the U.S.A.,” which Springsteen admires but knows will not fit the album’s mood.
The film’s only other upbeat moments come from Springsteen’s brief relationship with Faye, a waitress played by Odessa Young. She is a Springsteen fan who enjoys a late-night ride on the Asbury Park boardwalk carousel with him. However, viewers familiar with Springsteen’s life will know this happiness is fleeting.
In “Deliver Me From Nowhere,” Springsteen is already a major star but remains deeply ambivalent about his success. He is haunted by a difficult childhood with a depressed, alcoholic father, portrayed by Stephen Graham. The film uses black-and-white flashbacks to Springsteen’s early years in Freehold, N.J., some involving physical intimidation and violence. Later scenes depict Springsteen suffering panic-attack-induced hallucinations, with figures from his past appearing in the present.
At times, the film seems to abandon its stripped-down approach, leaving viewers to wonder why it did not simply become the sweeping, music-filled biopic many would prefer.
“Deliver Me From Nowhere” treats Springsteen’s life with respect but does not present him as a saint. The subplot with Faye shows a young Springsteen who can be distant and self-centered. The film’s strength is in portraying Springsteen as a real person, grounding the extraordinary profession of rock star in relatable struggles.
It would have been easy for Springsteen to set aside the “Nebraska” demos and release the more commercial “Born in the U.S.A.” instead. The film presents his decision to release the difficult, uncommercial album as an act of artistic courage. The movie’s structure mirrors this message: it commits to its vision, even if not every moment lands.
Rating: 6 out of 10
“Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” screens this week at the New York Film Festival and is scheduled to open in theaters Oct. 24.