Venue:
Aylesbury Odeon
Date: 10/08/2019
A coming of age drama set in the 1980’s featuring a Springsteen obsessive. Hmmm I’m naturally inclined to like this and having seen the trailers online the rest of the family were thankfully up for it as well; the only question then was when to go. So in the midst of a family road trip and having had an early evening meal we were pleased to find that Blinded By The Light was showing at the cinema opposite our Travellodge.
Javed is the put upon teen weighed down with family commitments, the expectations of his traditional father and about to start 6th form college. Whilst he’s fulfilling the role of the dutiful son he’s also going through the growing pains of trying to maintain a friendship with his more popular childhood friend and neighbor Scott and avoid the increasing number of skinheads and racists that seem to be frequenting Lutons streets.
Though his Dad is concerned with academic success as a route to a good job ( He’s allowed to choose Doctor or Lawyer) Javed is already secretly drawn to writing and once introduced to Springsteen through some loaned cassettes it’s Bruce’s music that serves as a focus for Javeds teenage obsession and creative awakening which in turn lead to romantic and scholastic success.
The music of the Boss providies the soundtrack for Javed’s life and a prototype for the person that Javed could be and it’s this musical clothing which Javed wraps himself in with the intensity of the true teenage believer. Music can make a difference at so many times in our lives but there is a righteous zeal which embodies our teenage musical choices when we’re seeking identity in how to look, what tribe we belong to and how to act often through the lyrics of a three minute record. This musically assisted transition that Javed undertakes with all its teenage certainties
before the compromises and conmplications of adult hood is as central to the film as the wider cultural and political issues of integration, racism and social change that are also present.
As its title suggest Bruce’s words and music are fundamental to the story and the film isn’t shy about how it uses the songs. As well as being used in the background, lyrics are spoken in conversation, sung between characters and literally written large on screen. At times this is not subtle but what musical is and theres a charm about this as there is throughout the film so that I was more than happy to go with the musical flow. I wonder whether any thought has been given to a stage version?
The film is directed by the same director as Bend it like Beckham and I’m sure that the hope is that it will crossover into the mainstream in a similar fashion. Theres certainly some marketing push taking place if the number of bus side adverts is anything to go on.
I’m interested to see how those that aren’t already committed Bruce fans find the film. As I said at the start I’m of an age and a number of Bruce concerts where I’m inclined to like the film based on its subject matter alone and I came away smiling. In fact looking around the faces of the audience as we left everyone was smiling and that is probably the best endorsement you can give to as film that seeks to be a feel good film; we all felt good after watching it.
The audience:
Predominantly older couples but this was the 8:20 show on a Saturday so our family brood wasnt the norm.
It made me think..
I should have brought more tissues, sniff.
We need to dig out our Sing Street DVD again
When is Bruce going to tour again?
Going to see it tonight – looking forward to it. A big fan of Bend it like Beckham and Bruce so right up my street.
In answer to the question when will Bruce tour again? I have it on good authority it will be next year.
Next year then, ok I suppose it will be stadiums in the summer which if memory serves has been May / June so before the school holiday. Fingers crossed.
We loved it, even though it brought back memories of the Thatcher years and the divisions it engendered in British society.
No review I have read has mentioned Nell Williams, who plays Eliza. She’s a new face to me, but I thought she was excellent and expect to see more of her in years to come.
Just back from seeing it tonight. Terrifically entertaining and moving – sentimental and feelgood for sure, but with a bit of grit there in showing the appalling racism and ugliness that first generation immigrants faced in the 80s (not that it’s entirely gone away of course).
Like NE1 I did wonder how someone who doesn’t know Bruce or his music might find it – enjoyable I have no doubt but I’m not sure it quite has the very broad appeal that made Bend It Like Beckham such a massive hit. But for all that, certainly recommended.
Hi Blue Boy, I agree re: the grit my youngest has had a few conversation with me since we watched about the racism so I think the message comes through alongside the coming of age story.
My wife and I both thought it was excellent. A real feel good piece of entertainment that left me yearning for his next tour with the E Steeet Band instead of the wishy washy solo stuff which seems to have disappeared into the ether not long after release.
Wishy washy solo stuff? Do you mean the new album Western Stars? I think it’s absolutely wonderful and the best thing he’s done in years and years.
Different strokes for different folks I guess. On first hearing it has a great sound but scratch under the surface and the songs are no match for those that this film is based around. Either lyrically or melodically.
For me it is Bruce on cruise control and he can do do much better. A good album but not a great album and certainly not in my end of year best of.
Saw it and enjoyed it. I think it suffers from not making its mind up whether to be a film with music or a full on musical fantasy. However I thought the recreation of the 80s was very good and it cast my mind back to my 16 year old self listening to Born To Run and wondering what the real world was like.
I’ll certainly watch this at some stage especially as I’m a Bruce fan, Luton resident and ( during the 90s) an acquaintance of Sarfraz Manzoor but I was just looking at the Soundtrack album… who is it aimed at? Its got lots of Springsteen a few cover versions and an Aha track!
T
S
Elliott.
Loved it. Of course I love Bruce too. My 13 yr old daughter loves Bruce quite a bit less but she enjoyed it, said she even cried a little. Luton doesn’t come out of it very well. I normally get annoyed about all the cliches when recreating a time period, but thought that was pretty good. We probably didn’t need Michael Fish though (again).
I thought Luton came out of it pretty reasonably, all things considered, with a mix of white characters ranging from the nakedly racist to the very supportive. Sort of how I found the town to be at the time for sometime thereafter. And certainly a broader range than I found in many of the industrial towns further north with which it has more in common than most of the home counties. On balance I don’t think it fared any worse than, say, Macclesfield in Control.