Our society has an obsession with retelling the stories of icons, desperately trying to dramatize their lives and explore the depths of what makes them unique. We’ve entered an era of biopics, and every month, a new celebrity’s life is on display in some increasingly unconventional way. As each film tries to find a way to distinguish itself, it leads one to wonder if novelty is worth sacrificing emotional relevance.
The latest film in this lineup of biopics is Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025). Directed by Scott Cooper, this movie stars Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong, Stephen Graham, and our favorite angry chef, Jeremy Allen White, as Bruce Springsteen himself. White portrays Springsteen during a time of tumult and reflection as he develops/creates his album Nebraska (1982) in the early 1980s. The film explores Springsteen’s struggles with depression and anxiety, alternating between his adult life and his childhood.
The film’s portrayal of Springsteen’s childhood and its inherent complexity was admirable. As Springsteen grapples with the hardships of his early life, viewers are transported back in time to his home in Freehold (shoutout Monmouth County!), watching his relationship with his father develop. Springsteen’s father, Douglas, played by Graham, is a severe, abusive alcoholic who is the root of many of his insecurities. However, seeing their interactions without Douglas’s alcoholism, including their trip to the movies on young Springsteen’s day off, adds a certain complexity to his father that viewers can appreciate. Although Douglas is the antagonist for the majority of the movie, he is not a static character. He has struggles of his own, which the film validates, helping viewers to see how these struggles affect his son.
The complexity of this relationship is built in one of the final scenes of the film, after Springsteen’s time away from the spotlight has come to an end. As he returns to his dressing room after an electrifying performance, Springsteen comes face-to-face with his estranged father, now appearing older and weaker. Douglas tells Springsteen that he’s proud of him and invites his son to sit on his lap. While it’s a somewhat peculiar scene, it is shockingly moving. As Springsteen admits, “I’ve never sat on your lap before,” viewers can’t help but feel the sorrow of Bruce’s childhood, viewing this as a moment of recognition and forgiveness.
Throughout most of the film, Bruce resides in one house, tirelessly perfecting his newest album. The setting serves as a poignant symbol of Springsteen’s feeling trapped in his own mind, unable to escape his emotions and fears. As he writes his album, he’s forced to reckon with some of the darkest parts of his life. The house is like an echo chamber of sorts, forcing him to face these fears head-on. It isn’t until Springsteen moves to Los Angeles that he’s able to find more agency over himself and escape these darker thoughts.
Despite the emotional aspects of the film, it often struggles to resonate with audiences at key points because it never takes the time to establish Springsteen’s fame and character. We begin at a point where Springsteen is already well-known and well-liked, riding on the success of Born to Run (1975) and other works. Thus, when Springsteen initially struggles with his mental health, it’s hard to feel any connection to him. We have no idea how he became a star or why his character is so well-loved, so when he pushes people away and becomes difficult to work with, there hasn’t been much work done to help elicit the audience’s empathy. If the film had set up his likability and journey to fame first and then dove into his struggles, this period of depression would have connected more with viewers.
This biopic distinguishes itself, but in an admittedly dark way. The film spans only one or two years. It narrows in on a pivotal moment in Springsteen’s life, using a short timeframe as a springboard to explore his upbringing. By presenting specific elements of Springsteen’s life that can’t be found through a quick Google search, the movie delves into a deeper, more personal aspect of this iconic artist.
But while Deliver Me From Nowhere was unique, it was also incredibly misleading. The trailers leading up to its release showcased a huge blockbuster film, complete with thrilling concert scenes and an electrifying Springsteen. Faced with the promise of cheering crowds and powerful dance moves, it felt necessary to purchase a ticket. Sure, it seemed pretty generic, but the hundreds of thousands of lovers of “The Boss” were sure to enter the theater with excitement.
However, upon entering the theater, audiences were met with a somber, introspective piece about depression and cycles of abuse. Although this is an important story to tell, it felt like they under-showcased this aspect of the film, leading to general confusion from viewers. People go into biopics expecting to see the juicy details of celebrities’ lives: their past love affairs, squabbles with their agents, or how they really came up with the name for that one hit song. Instead, this film set itself apart by attempting to tell a deeper story, but the initial shock from this mood shift overshadowed much of the emotional weight the film intended to have. It didn’t land with audiences the way it intended to.
Another final detail of the film that makes it less immersive is that it casts famous actors to play already famous people. This is a qualm I have with many biopics. While I appreciate Jeremy Strong’s intense method acting, it’s difficult to envision him as anything other than Kendall Roy. And for White, although he gives an emotional and thought-provoking performance as Springsteen, you can’t separate him from Lip Gallagher or Carmy Berrazzato. No matter how talented actors may be, having them play an already well-established figure is a mistake. We’ve seen this happen more and more often, with the upcoming Beatles films also casting household names to play already iconic figures. It creates a barrier with audiences, making them aware that they’re watching a movie and therefore undermining the film’s message. For biopics, it’s most effective to cast up-and-coming actors, as this creates at least some believability that they may be a younger version of that celebrity (suspended reality, right?).
The film also falls short in terms of a clear resolution. Although we see Springsteen and his father reunite, it’s not exactly transparent what we are supposed to make of the ending. It reads like a moment of forgiveness, but it’s hard for viewers to accept that forgiveness after the entire movie establishes Douglas’s failing fatherhood. Another ending scene of the film is when Bruce has his first therapy appointment and breaks down crying. This is a meaningful, emotional moment, but it’s left hanging. We are left sitting with the pain that Springsteen felt, not feeling truly satisfied, not knowing whether he ever moved past this pain.
While many parts of the film fell slightly short, there was a collection of scenes with Springsteen’s manager and record producer, Jon Landau, and his wife that missed the mark entirely. Although Strong’s performance as Landau is relatively strong (pun not intended), the scenes where he interacts with his wife absolutely kill the film’s immersive experience. There are multiple scenes where Landau vents to his wife about Springsteen, explaining his demeanor in the studio and the justification for his behavior. Oddly, his wife does not show up in any other scene, reducing her character to a vessel for explaining the movie and its meaning to the audience. It trivializes the audience, implying that we can’t understand larger topics and themes on our own. It’s a completely unnecessary aspect of the movie, and reminds viewers that what they’re watching is just that: a movie.
All in all, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is a strong attempt at deviating from the status quo and creating a wholeheartedly unique biopic. However, in pursuing this goal, the film may have lost sight of what makes biopics so lovable. If they had leaned into Springsteen’s journey to fame and allowed the audience to interpret the movie’s message themselves, Springsteen’s experiences would have been that much more compelling.
