Deliver Me from Nowhere is an inside look into Bruce Springsteen’s life as he was creating the music for his album “Nebraska.” The viewer in immersed in the state of Springsteen’s mental health and the atypical way he created the songs that fill the album. Disclaimer: I was not well-versed in Springsteen before seeing the film. I was drawn to see it by Jeremy Allen White (yes, Chef), who plays Springsteen, so my opinions will be different from those who are familiar with Springsteen’s music and life story.
The film begins in black and white, taking us back in time to peek into Bruce’s childhood. His mom sends him into a bar to collect his dad who is drinking at the counter. Later that night, his father goes into young Bruce’s room in a mock-playful, but intimidating manner and eggs Bruce on to practice throwing punches to prepare for a fight. Bruce begrudgingly follows his lead, but is clearly uncomfortable. The wavering between light-hearted and serious is a common interaction with a drunk person, and you can feel the tension, like one wrong move will completely flip the situation to major aggression. This careful navigating between emotions is felt throughout the film and provides context for how Bruce’s uncertainty in his formative years persisted throughout his life. His childhood, always in black and white, is revisited from time to time throughout the film to lend context to the storyline.
The music is truly the heart of the film, the scenes of Bruce researching song topics, writing lyrics, and recording in his studio are the best part. While there is a bit of romance in Bruce’s life at the time with Faye Romano (Odessa Young), the subplot feels incomplete. It’s unclear after their first meeting why/when he reached out to her, and the relationship is mostly ignored as Bruce delves into his music. While Bruce expresses his disdain for Faye’s former partner and baby daddy for abandoning her, Bruce himself abandons her without exploring why.
The most interesting perspective comes from Jon Landau (Jeremy Strong), Bruce’s long-time manager. His character felt more layered, navigating what the label wants, what Bruce wants, and sharing the challenges between the two with his wife as he works to please both. While Bruce spends most of the movie depressed and introspective, Jon’s motivations were clearer and relatable.
Surprisingly, Jeremy Allen White’s performance, which was my reason for checking it out, didn’t land for me. White has historically played moody characters before: Lip Gallagher in Shameless and Carmy Berzatto in The Bear. His performance as Bruce felt flat. But the music carried the movie. It was interesting to learn that “Nebraska” was made with purposefully outdated technology. And Bruce’s vision for the album with “no press, no tour, no singles,” led to unexpected success. The media label agreed to the terms with Jon, who once again proved to be a true bridge between big business and an artist.
Come for the songs, stay for the story, but don’t expect to laugh, cry, or be deeply moved.
Movie times: Click here
Genre: DocuDrama, Biography, Drama, Music
Director: Scott Cooper
Actors: Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Paul Walter Hauser
Running Time: 2 hours
Rating: PG-13 for thematic material, some sexuality, strong language, and smoking.
