Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
With a career spanning over 50 years, Bruce Springsteen has received considerable praise and adulation. He is one of the world’s best-selling artists, the recipient of 20 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A biopic about his life was inevitable, and it is director Scott Cooper who has taken on the challenge of capturing the man behind the microphone in Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere.
Biopics about famous musicians have become a dime a dozen and can therefore be easy to predict. The standard formula will usually focus on charting the life of the artist: portraying their childhood, the inception and development of their musical talents and then the circumstances, often filled with hardships and setbacks, in which they found success. Given the high volume of biopics in recent years, it is understandable when filmmakers seek to circumvent the formula, and Cooper mostly does that here. In Deliver Me from Nowhere, Springsteen is already a household name, topping the charts and performing concerts around the world. After the conclusion of his latest tour, Springsteen goes to his home in New Jersey for an extended break, and the movie focuses on the events that led to him writing and recording his sixth studio album, Nebraska. There are some scenes from his past and his experiences as a child of an abusive, alcoholic father (compellingly portrayed by Stephen Graham). We see how he both feared and loved his father and how the unexplored trauma that resides just below the surface seemingly pours out into the pages of his notebook as he crafts the record.
The feature is carried by the strong performances from its lead actors. Jeremy Allen White is excellent as Springsteen. Following his role in The Bear, White certainly knows how to capture the subtleties of a troubled mind. Whilst he may not visually look like Springsteen, he manages to mimic the music legend’s movements and mannerisms as well as the gritty, huskiness of his voice. Jeremy Strong is also convincing as Springsteen’s manager, Jon Landau and effectively conveys the genuine love and concern Landau has for his friend and client.
Whilst the performances are commendable, they are somewhat let down by a plot that isn’t particularly well considered. It’s a surprise as Cooper’s directorial debut, Crazy Heart, offered a raw and unflinching portrait of the motivations and psyche of a tortured musician. But with Deliver Me from Nowhere, the story feels bare and doesn’t strike the right balance between showing the extent of the decline of Springsteen’s mental state and fully analysing the reasoning. There is a scene towards the end where visions from his past and present coalesce, and it offers a visual representation of how the unresolved trauma from his past has plagued his hope for the future, and White depicts this internal conflict brilliantly. Had the narrative of the film focused more tightly on that conflict, and offered audiences a deeper examination of Springsteen, the overall impact would’ve been greater. Ultimately, Deliver Me from Nowhere is a solid addition to the roster of biopics, but in such a crowded space, it is unlikely to stand out.
Sunny Morgan
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere is released on 24th October 2025.
Read more reviews from our London Film Festival coverage here.
For further information about the event, visit the London Film Festival website here.
Watch the trailer for Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere here:
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