Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025) 20th Century/Drama RT: 119 minutes Rated PG-13 (thematic material, some sexuality, strong language) Director: Scott Cooper Screenplay: Scott Cooper Music: Jeremiah Fraites Cinematography: Masanobu Takayanagi Release date: October 24, 2025 (US) Cast: Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Paul Walter Hauser, Stephen Graham, Odessa Young, Gaby Hoffman, Marc Maron, David Krumholtz, Harrison Gilbertson, Grace Gummer, Chris Jaymes, Johnny Cannizzaro, Brian Chase, Matthew Pellicano Jr.
Rating: ***
I’m not what you call a die-hard fan of Bruce Springsteen. I like some of his songs, but I don’t have strong feelings about him either way. Still, the New Jersey-bred rocker is one of the most prominent musical artists of the last 50 years. I figured it was only a matter of time before somebody did a biopic of “The Boss”.
Now here’s the thing. Although biographical in nature, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere is NOT actually a biopic. It’s a personal and introspective piece about a damaged man confronting his demons through art. Springsteen, played with great authenticity by Jeremy Allen White (The Iron Claw), was going through a lot when he recorded his 1982 album Nebraska. He just finished his River Tour (1980-81) and decided to take a little downtime at a rented house in Colts Neck, not too far from where he grew up in Freehold, NJ.
Bruce’s manager Jon Landau (Strong, The Gentlemen) tries to get him to take on a new project now that he finally scored a Top 10 hit with “Hungry Heart”. The singer has other things on his mind like his troubled relationship with his father (Graham, Snatch) who struggles with alcoholism and mental health issues. Bruce basically isolates himself, sitting alone in the dark house strumming his guitar and channel surfing. One night, he comes across the Terrance Malick film Badlands. He’s captivated by it. It gives him an idea for a new song (originally titled “Starkweather”). One song evolves into a whole album (i.e. Nebraska). It becomes his next project, a deeply personal one that he’s passionate about.
Nebraska is a stylistic departure for Bruce. It’s a DIY deal, recorded in a makeshift studio is his bedroom and stripped of all studio polish. It’s just Bruce singing and playing acoustic guitar unaccompanied. The songs are stark and somber. Record executives are concerned about how the new album will be received by the public, especially with the guidelines laid down by Bruce- no singles, no tours or press coverage, not even his face on the cover. It’s risky, but this is how he wants to do it.
Bruce throws himself fully into his passion project, but what’s he’s really doing is avoiding the inevitable. He needs to deal with his personal problems. He didn’t have what one would call an idyllic childhood. Through B&W flashbacks, we get an idea of what he went through as a young child. It left a mark on his psyche. It affects every aspect of his life including his budding romance with Faye (Young, The Damned), a single mom from his hometown who’s had a crush on him since high school.
Written and directed by Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart), Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere is not a film to be taken lightly. It’s not one of those greatest hits musical biopics that check off a list of significant events in the subject’s life. Instead, it focuses on a pivotal period that becomes a true turning point for the artist. Cooper does a deep dive here, showing us a man dealing with the pressures of fame while going through personal torment. He gets right to the heart and soul of Bruce, exposing his pain and vulnerability. Of course, none of it would work without a capable actor in the role. White is more than capable. He goes a fine job playing Bruce, the man not yet a legend. Like the singer does with Nebraska, White strips his character down to the bare bones, allowing for everybody to see his pain and suffering. And while we’re on the subject, Matthew Pellicano Jr. delivers an unusually soulful performance as young Bruce. You don’t often see such an open performance from somebody so young. It’s impressive.
Strong also does a good job as Bruce’s only real friend. He supports him through a venture that may consider career-ending. He’s also there for him when he finally breaks down in one of the film’s most wrenching scenes. Graham adds gravitas as the flawed dad, a rough man who loves his family even if he doesn’t know how to show it. Gaby Hoffman, currently on screens in The Masterminds, plays his quietly suffering mother. She has only a few scenes, but makes the most of them.
I’ll grant that Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere is slow moving at times, but it’s never actually boring. Cooper keeps viewers interested with his raw, honest depiction of a musical titan. It’s a far cry from shallow, glitzy biopics like I Wanna Dance with Somebody. Its gritty aesthetic, courtesy of cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi gives it a sense of realism. But like I said, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere is NOT a biopic. That would be a gross trivialization. It’s worth checking out regardless of how you feel about Bruce.
