This is a beautifully written review. I’ve loved Nebraska since its release, and after reading your review, I’m looking even more forward to seeing the movie.
I saw Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere yesterday and your review is one of the best I’ve read. I’ve been a fan since The Wild, the Innocent’s Rosalita. When Nebraska came out I was like many others wondering “WTF”. But, it grew on me and I consider it one of my favorites. Eventually, I saw it as a natural and emotional progression from Darkness and The River. This film adds depth to my understanding to one of America’s greatest songwriters/story tellers. Trauma, loss, anxiety and other mental health challenges inspire some of our greatest artists.
My now husband introduced me to Springsteen after he played a concert at West Point. It took me a bit to appreciate the voice but I came to love his music. I bought Nebraska when we were stationed in Germany. I could only listen to it once through - too dark for me in my mid-20s. Still a big fan and now that I'm older with more life led, I have a better appreciation of the album, and with your review, intend to see the movie. There may be a need for a stiff drink after!
The other commenters are reinforcing my fears about the movie.
I like Springsteen, but I don't "get" Springsteen. I don't "feel" Springsteen. I've never seen him live nor contemplated travelling to do so or anything like that.
Even if exactly as you describe, I'm not sure I'll like the movie enough. I hope so.
First thing I said to my wife after leaving the theater: for those like us who get and feel Bruce, that was great. But people who aren't really into Bruce are not going to like that at all.
Reading the book now. I hope the movie gets across just how hard it can be to record in a studio — and why Springsteen’s Tascam-recorded musings are so different. Zanes does a great job in describing that the life of a minstrel isn’t all joy and applause.
I LOVED this film. I got to see it last week at a local film festival and sat in the back of the theater on the floor bawling. Beautifully done, and, to your point, it did make me think about movies and the importance of what they bring to storytelling and how that in turn impacts our self understanding and choices. Thanks for reviewing this!
Note: The author of the book, Warren Zanes, was in the rock group The Del Fuegos before turning his attention to studying (PhD) and writing about pop music. Smart guy, knows his stuff. (I haven't read the book, but knowing the movie is adapted from Zanes' writing makes me more interested in seeing it.)
I love TONS of what now goes by the name of "Americana." But with a number of glorious exceptions (Drive By Truckers, Neko Case...), it often exudes a certain piety I find offputting. 80s "roots music" was many things but one of those things was FUN. Del Fuegos, Cruzados, Gear Daddies, Michelle Shocked -- all these were much more than fun, but certainly also that. The kinds for me were Del Fuegos' Boston mostly-contemporaries Scruffy the Cat, perpetrators of two of the best live shows I've seen in my entire life. As for Del Fuegos, I will always hear that name as sung by Juliana Hatfield in her song "My Sister," describing the first concert she ever attended.
oh God! more self reverential garbage. its the usual worthless deification of someone who is nothing more than a symbolic trope for those struggling with the ultimate anxiety of being human. glad it helps those that find some psychological crutch, but it does get tedious i think
I have been a fan since the late '70's, when Jersey kids all had a sense of how Springsteen grew up, because it was kind of how we grew up, too.
I saw Springsteen at the Spectrum in Philly the night after John Lennon was murdered and, unlike pretty much everyone else, I don't rush to catch a concert because nothing could ever come close to Bruce that night. There was a band bleeding with joy & sorrow, and an audience who would have walked into fire for the music.
I did go see him during the Born in the USA tour when he first played Giants stadium in 1985. I could tell that things had changed. He seemed more polished, more accepting of the stardom that was coming, a Jersey kid comfortable in that skin while developing the skin of a burgeoning rock & roll idol. I can see how Nebraska might be the through line from 1980 to 1984. That's a lot of weight to carry. And he's done it well.
I think Born to Run is less a "Let's get the heck out of Jersey" song as much as it is an ode to folks who want to escape the dead end lives that are endemic in small towns regardless of the state. Hence it's ongoing popularity.
A little more research and I stand corrected. The NJ State Assembly passed a resolution to make it the state song in 1981. The resolution did not pass the state Senate.
Thank god it doesn't completely suck. I love Springsteen (I'm originally from NJ - it's a law), and Jeremy Allen White (since the first episode of Shameless).
I was worried that two of my favorite artists would somehow be joined and create something terrible.
I was worried, too. Was a Springsteen fan beginning with Born to Run. I was too young to appreciate Nebraska when it came out. Saw the movie this afternoon and enjoyed it. It’s slow and dark but very well acted and, as Sonny mentions, the scenes are all beautifully done. I compartmentalized so that I could appreciate the movie and keep it separate from my memories - seeing him live 4 times beginning in the early ‘80s, “soundtrack of my life” stuff, etc. Jungleland is still one of my favorite songs.
I was tepid about this movie, both because I was frustrated with the garbled mess of Pale Blue Eye and as someone who doesn’t see any reason to try and top having seen Bruce and the E Street Band live. Living in the time we do, I often feel like a condemned man in a condemned country, so this review has me very intrigued as to how the film will make me feel. As a kid, the Born in the USA was just such a huge part of American music. When I discovered Nebraska, it was soul jarring. If the movie isn’t that profound, maybe it’s worth it just for being different from your typical biopic.
This is a beautifully written review. I’ve loved Nebraska since its release, and after reading your review, I’m looking even more forward to seeing the movie.
I saw Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere yesterday and your review is one of the best I’ve read. I’ve been a fan since The Wild, the Innocent’s Rosalita. When Nebraska came out I was like many others wondering “WTF”. But, it grew on me and I consider it one of my favorites. Eventually, I saw it as a natural and emotional progression from Darkness and The River. This film adds depth to my understanding to one of America’s greatest songwriters/story tellers. Trauma, loss, anxiety and other mental health challenges inspire some of our greatest artists.
It's an interesting movie! Again, don't think it'll work for everyone, but that's art, man.
Just read a critique in Guardian, apparently "Deliver Me From Nowhere" is not really a biopic, but a not-so-convincing piece of fan fiction.
That's good: now I have two opposing views of this thing -- and that is enough a reason to go check out the movie myself and make my own mind.
My now husband introduced me to Springsteen after he played a concert at West Point. It took me a bit to appreciate the voice but I came to love his music. I bought Nebraska when we were stationed in Germany. I could only listen to it once through - too dark for me in my mid-20s. Still a big fan and now that I'm older with more life led, I have a better appreciation of the album, and with your review, intend to see the movie. There may be a need for a stiff drink after!
The other commenters are reinforcing my fears about the movie.
I like Springsteen, but I don't "get" Springsteen. I don't "feel" Springsteen. I've never seen him live nor contemplated travelling to do so or anything like that.
Even if exactly as you describe, I'm not sure I'll like the movie enough. I hope so.
First thing I said to my wife after leaving the theater: for those like us who get and feel Bruce, that was great. But people who aren't really into Bruce are not going to like that at all.
Reading the book now. I hope the movie gets across just how hard it can be to record in a studio — and why Springsteen’s Tascam-recorded musings are so different. Zanes does a great job in describing that the life of a minstrel isn’t all joy and applause.
I LOVED this film. I got to see it last week at a local film festival and sat in the back of the theater on the floor bawling. Beautifully done, and, to your point, it did make me think about movies and the importance of what they bring to storytelling and how that in turn impacts our self understanding and choices. Thanks for reviewing this!
Note: The author of the book, Warren Zanes, was in the rock group The Del Fuegos before turning his attention to studying (PhD) and writing about pop music. Smart guy, knows his stuff. (I haven't read the book, but knowing the movie is adapted from Zanes' writing makes me more interested in seeing it.)
Ha! See my comment below. Zanes brings a lot of personal knowledge to the book.
I remember the Del Fuegos
I love TONS of what now goes by the name of "Americana." But with a number of glorious exceptions (Drive By Truckers, Neko Case...), it often exudes a certain piety I find offputting. 80s "roots music" was many things but one of those things was FUN. Del Fuegos, Cruzados, Gear Daddies, Michelle Shocked -- all these were much more than fun, but certainly also that. The kinds for me were Del Fuegos' Boston mostly-contemporaries Scruffy the Cat, perpetrators of two of the best live shows I've seen in my entire life. As for Del Fuegos, I will always hear that name as sung by Juliana Hatfield in her song "My Sister," describing the first concert she ever attended.
oh God! more self reverential garbage. its the usual worthless deification of someone who is nothing more than a symbolic trope for those struggling with the ultimate anxiety of being human. glad it helps those that find some psychological crutch, but it does get tedious i think
so you’re not planning on seeing the movie is my takeaway here
Probably not, based upon the review. Uninterested in the standard stilted attempt to find meaning in the meaningless
although i very much appreciate the bulwark and you contributions
Ah, the meaninglessness, you must have wandered over (as did I) from catching up with JVL. 😉
Yeah, I love JVL and hate that he is correct
Look the review did its job! It steered you away from something you won’t like!
The world needs Walk Hard 2
I'll buy the Nebraska '82 set and enjoy the songs in all of their incarnations, but I won't go to the movie. Only Bruce is Bruce.
I have been a fan since the late '70's, when Jersey kids all had a sense of how Springsteen grew up, because it was kind of how we grew up, too.
I saw Springsteen at the Spectrum in Philly the night after John Lennon was murdered and, unlike pretty much everyone else, I don't rush to catch a concert because nothing could ever come close to Bruce that night. There was a band bleeding with joy & sorrow, and an audience who would have walked into fire for the music.
I did go see him during the Born in the USA tour when he first played Giants stadium in 1985. I could tell that things had changed. He seemed more polished, more accepting of the stardom that was coming, a Jersey kid comfortable in that skin while developing the skin of a burgeoning rock & roll idol. I can see how Nebraska might be the through line from 1980 to 1984. That's a lot of weight to carry. And he's done it well.
I've always wondered......so, "Born To Run" is the official state song of New Jersey.
Isn't "Born to Run" about people who are desperately trying to get the heck out of New Jersey?
NJ does not have any official state song.
I think Born to Run is less a "Let's get the heck out of Jersey" song as much as it is an ode to folks who want to escape the dead end lives that are endemic in small towns regardless of the state. Hence it's ongoing popularity.
A little more research and I stand corrected. The NJ State Assembly passed a resolution to make it the state song in 1981. The resolution did not pass the state Senate.
Ain't it always a Senate to screw things up, lol!
Thank god it doesn't completely suck. I love Springsteen (I'm originally from NJ - it's a law), and Jeremy Allen White (since the first episode of Shameless).
I was worried that two of my favorite artists would somehow be joined and create something terrible.
Thanks for the reassurances.
I was worried, too. Was a Springsteen fan beginning with Born to Run. I was too young to appreciate Nebraska when it came out. Saw the movie this afternoon and enjoyed it. It’s slow and dark but very well acted and, as Sonny mentions, the scenes are all beautifully done. I compartmentalized so that I could appreciate the movie and keep it separate from my memories - seeing him live 4 times beginning in the early ‘80s, “soundtrack of my life” stuff, etc. Jungleland is still one of my favorite songs.
I was tepid about this movie, both because I was frustrated with the garbled mess of Pale Blue Eye and as someone who doesn’t see any reason to try and top having seen Bruce and the E Street Band live. Living in the time we do, I often feel like a condemned man in a condemned country, so this review has me very intrigued as to how the film will make me feel. As a kid, the Born in the USA was just such a huge part of American music. When I discovered Nebraska, it was soul jarring. If the movie isn’t that profound, maybe it’s worth it just for being different from your typical biopic.
Really looking forward to this movie.
I can't hardly wait to see Deliver Me From Nowhere.