The Bruce Springsteen Biopic Gives Us A Broody Glimpse On How His Best Albums Came To Life – Review

Musical biopics are often hit or miss, with the majority of films within the genre often dramatizing their subjects to a fault. 

Some revel in their subject’s trauma (see Amy), while others misinterpret the factual narratives that took place in the service of entertainment value (e.g., Bohemian Rhapsody), akin to a greatest hits compilation record. But as of late, we’re seeing a new wave of biopics come in — which, rather than focusing on the entire life of their subject — place an emphasis on a specific period of the artist’s life.

We’ve seen it with James Mangold and Timothée Chalamet’s critically acclaimed A Complete Unknown (which did Bob Dylan’s story right), and now we’re seeing it with the American rock icon Bruce Springsteen in the highly anticipated Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. 

While the title itself is quite the mouthful, the phrase ‘deliver me from nowhere’ perfectly encapsulates where Springsteen’s headspace is at throughout the duration of the entire film — especially with its definition of being a “desperate request for help or rescue from a void” like one is in a sense of being in an unfulfilling or desolate “nowhere.”

That place is exactly where we meet Jeremy Allen White’s (The Bear, Shameless) take on Springsteen at the very beginning of the movie, as both his performance and Scott Cooper’s screenplay take us right into the inner turmoil of his complex relationship with fame, loneliness, and the lingering trauma of a complicated relationship with his father. 

White’s performance is nothing short of stellar, perfectly recreating the tortured poet persona of Springsteen at his lowest point as he grapples with depression, while still capturing those creative bursts of genius as he channels that sorrow into the making of his albums, Nebraska and Born In The USA. 

Particularly with the former, one could feel just how much White leaned into the isolation and turbulence of Springsteen’s state of mind in that period of time — with his dead-eyed gazes, somber pacing in the evening, and moments of quiet allowing his physicality to really bring the role to life, with little to no exaggeration whatsoever. 

Still, when White opens his mouth — whether it’s to speak or sing — it’s clear he’s done his research (and the necessary training) to capture his inner Bruce Springsteen. From Springsteen’s signature New Jersey accent to his vocal performance as a musician, White pretty much nailed that to a tee, as his renditions of “Nebraska,” “Atlantic City,” and “I’m On Fire” are nearly indistinguishable from Springsteen’s original versions.  

Yet despite excellent performances from White and the cast (especially Jeremy Strong’s performance as his manager, Jon Landau), the area in which this biopic could be better improved is with its screenplay. Though it does capture a very tumultuous period of Springsteen’s life, both creatively and personally, the first act of the film feels disjointed, and drags quite heavily in terms of pacing, filling the first 30 minutes or so of its runtime with empty pauses and still vignettes, and an overreliance on out-of-context flashbacks from Springsteen’s childhood. Even if there is nothing necessarily wrong with such a narrative direction, it just feels a bit too long before these sequences get to make proper sense for audiences. 

Other moments in the screenplay tend to contradict each other as well, as one scene in the recording studio sees White’s Springsteen in the midst of a professional crash-out, refusing to divulge the personal importance of these songs from Nebraska to his band and team, even as other random flashbacks spread across the film are what shed light on their meaning. In concept, there lies potential for it, but it eventually feels half-baked, considering they only utilize such moments to explain just three of the ten tracks on Nebraska.

But even as it stumbles at certain moments, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is still a welcome addition to the growing list of musical biopics that honor some of music’s most prolific figures. Sure, by its third and final act, the majority of the narrative threads are resolved, and an emotional conclusion is achieved — but what surprisingly matters most is that it never made light of Springsteen’s personal struggles all throughout. 

To its benefit, this biopic stands as a deeply human portrayal of one of America’s most iconic musicians, capturing Bruce Springsteen not just as a legend, but as a man grappling with the weight of his own genius and despair. Even though the film’s uneven pacing and at times disjointed structure keep it from reaching the same heights as its performance-driven core, Jeremy Allen White’s transformative turn ensures that its emotional resonance remains intact. 

Scott Cooper’s direction, though occasionally indulgent, successfully evokes the somber tone and introspective mood of Springsteen’s Nebraska era, grounding the film in authenticity rather than overt spectacle — ultimately succeeding in honoring “The Boss’s” artistry and vulnerability, whilst reminding audiences that even from the desolate spots of “nowhere,” greatness can still be born.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is set to show exclusively in Ayala Malls Cinemas beginning November 12, 2025 onwards. Watch the full trailer for the film below:

Listen to Jeremy Allen White’s renditions of Bruce Springsteen’s hit songs from the soundtrack below: