In 1982, Todd Rundgren released an album called “The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect.”
In 2024, Taylor Swift released an album — albums — called “The Tortured Poets Department.”
Bruce Springsteen would like a word.
“Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere” is the decidedly downbeat story of Bruce Springsteen making what many consider to be among his finest albums, “Nebraska,” directed by Scott Cooper (“Crazy Heart,” “The Pale Blue Eye”). The album itself, basically a demo released as the final product, was a stark departure both from Springsteen’s previous work (though there were hints on his previous double album, “The River”) and from what was popular at the time.
What is ‘Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere’ about?
While making “Nebraska” — at the time Springsteen was just trying to get some songs together, nothing with an overarching theme — he was also suffering from serious depression, nearly suicidal, struggling to come to terms with childhood abuse and finding a new direction in his life and music. In one rather cliched moment, Springsteen is buying his first new car. The car dealer recognizes him, says, “I know who you are.”
“That makes one of us,” Springsteen replies. This, alas, is not the only cliche floating around in the movie.
The acting, with Jeremy Allen White as Springsteen and Jeremy Strong as Springsteen’s friend and manager Jon Landau, is excellent. White also does his own singing, credibly pulling off performances of parts of songs like “Born to Run,” “Born in the USA” and others. The notion of where creativity comes from is also compelling, whether it’s from moments frozen in your psyche forever or just looking out the window at the lake.
But for me, at least, it’s all in service to an album I don’t love, or even like all that much. I like some of the songs (“Atlantic City” is one of his best), but I’ve never cared for Springsteen’s car-mechanic, man-of-the-people persona. Let him rock, I say.
Am I just not a big enough Springsteen fan to appreciate the album? I don’t know, I think I am. But that doesn’t matter. Loving “Nebraska” shouldn’t be a required entry point for enjoying this movie. And it’s not, at least not fully. But since it’s based on Warren Zanes’ book and its mere existence is based on the idea of it as a singular work of art, one of the greatest albums ever made, it certainly helps.
Depression haunts Springsteen making ‘Nebraska’
The film begins with Springsteen playing “Born to Run” as the encore to his last show on his tour for “The River.” He’s exhausted, and wants some time off. The record company, represented by Al Teller (David Krumholtz), wants a follow-up, fast. “Hungry Heart” was a top 10 hit, and Teller is, well, hungry for more.
One thing that becomes clear early on, however, is that Springsteen calls the shots. They call him “The Boss” for a reason. So he holes up in a home he rents in Colts Neck, New Jersey, and reads and watches movies on TV (Flannery O’Connor is a big favorite, and Terrence Malick’s “Badlands” proves pivotal) while driving into Asbury Park to play cover songs with local bands at the Stone Pony, the legendary bar where he cut his teeth.
It’s after one of those shows that he meets Faye Romano (Odessa Young, also good), a single mother who is aware of Springsteen — everyone in New Jersey is by this point — and starts seeing him. (Faye is a composite of several women.)
Creatively, Springsteen is frustrated. He feels like his surge in popularity has created a distance between him and his past, the people he grew up with, his family. Being back in New Jersey means driving by his shuttered old home.
It also means black-and-white flashbacks to his childhood, with his father (Stephen Graham) and mother (Gaby Hoffman), who argue constantly. Springsteen yearns for his father’s approval; that yearning leads to the most powerful moment in the movie, when past and present collide. But Cooper at times goes to the flashback well too often, slowing the film’s momentum.
Springsteen has read about a new gizmo, a four-track recorder where he can make demos of the songs he’s writing in the bedroom of his house, where he likes the flat acoustics. Mike Batlan (Paul Michael Hauser), his guitar tech, brings one to the house and they start running through songs — songs about disappointment, disillusionment.
“Badlands” (the film, not the Springsteen song) is about serial killer Charlie Starkweather. After watching it, Springsteen starts writing what will become the title song, about Starkweather. At some point, he changes all the third-person references to the killer to first-person. It’s a big moment in terms of discovery of where he wants these songs to go.
Jeremy Allen White and Jeremy Strong are outstanding
Famously, some of the songs would end up on “Born in the USA,” the album that rocketed Springsteen to global fame.
“Born in the USA” is one of the most misread hit songs ever, with Ronald Reagan wanting to use it at rallies. Some complain that the boisterous, anthemic version on the album belies the cynical point of view of a Vietnam veteran. I’ve always liked that version, and thought it was a sure test of whether anyone was listening to the lyrics.
I felt that way even more when Springsteen brings “Born in the USA” into the studio in New York and the band blazes through it, everyone laughing, jumping around, having a great time. I know how they feel. Finally, some relief from the gloom.
Springsteen wasn’t finding that relief, though. He’s lying in the floor of his house blasting “Frankie Teardrop” by the downbeat new wave band Suicide, calling it “the most amazing record I ever heard.” Just don’t play it on repeat, Mike advises him.
Despite pressure from the record company, Springsteen, with great effort from producers (including Marc Maron playing engineer Chuck Plotkin), releases “Nebraska” on his own terms — the demos, more or less. No singles, no press, no picture of him on the cover. To complaints that the sound is somehow “off,” Springsteen responds, “Whatever’s off sounds just right to me.”
It’s an imperfect film, obviously, though to Springsteen fantatics (that, I am not) it’ll be a godsend. For the rest of us, it’s interesting, but mopey. Yet surely, I can’t be the only one who would rather watch this than listen to the album.
I promised my kid a Springsteen show: Why it took 12 years to get there
‘Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere’ 3 stars
Great ★★★★★ Good ★★★★
Fair ★★★ Bad ★★ Bomb ★
Director: Scott Cooper.
Cast: Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Odessa Young.
Rating: PG-13 for thematic material, some sexuality, strong language, and smoking.
How to watch: In theaters Friday, Oct. 24.
Reach Goodykoontz at [email protected]. Facebook:facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. Media commentary with a side of snark? Sign up for The Watchlist newsletter with Bill Goodykoontz.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: New Springsteen movie is a bummer. And that’s intentional
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