Blinded By The Light Review

Blinded By The Light
Director: Gurinder Chadha
Cast Headliners: Viveik Kalra, Kuvinder Ghir, Meera Ganatra, Hayley Atwell
Original Release Date: August 16th, 2019 (USA / Limited....saw bit early!)

          Who doesn't know the music of Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen. Blinded By The Light perhaps answers that question while also exploring the drama of the lives of a Muslim British-Pakistani teenager in the United Kingdom who both finds escape from his music as well as deals with the events of his life around him in 1980.
This movie is inspired by the life of BBC journalist Sarfraz Manzoor but here is given the fictional name of Javed Khan(Viveik Kalra). In the small English town of Luton he lives with the rst of the Khan family including strict traditionalist father Malik(Kuvinder Ghir), hard working mother Noor (Meera Ganatra) and his sisters Yasmeen(Tara Divina) and Shazia(Nikita Mehta). Javed struggles with the demands of a father who wants him to be more Pakistani than British and a high school (college as they call it across the pond) where he's trying to find friends and love.
He finds some solace in those outside his family in Luton including childhood white friend Matt(Dean-Charles Chapman) and his father(Rob Brydon in a nice comedic role) as well as at his school in love interest Eliza(Nell Williams),  encouraging kind teacher Ms.Clay(Hayley Atwell) and sikh music enthusiast Roops(Aaron Phagura).
It's through Roops that Javed discovers the music of Bruce Springsteen and where the film proper begins. Javed is dismissive at first but soon finds himself incredibly enthralled by the lyrics of the New Jerseyian. It inspires him as the poetic writer he is and helps him escape a stressful life.
This is the two main aspects of what makes up the entertainment of the film. There's the Bruce side of things of course. The soundtrack is rocking if one is a Bruce fan. So many of his famous songs are used in scenes very effectively (with even a new lost song in the credits). At times this can be a bit of an artsy musical approach as lyrics are shown on-screen an the characters sing the songs.  It can definitely be cheesy.  Some other choice period music is used but Bruce takes the majority. It helps inform the other side of the plot as well in a mostly interesting (if never too deep) manner. Some alright direction by Gurinder Chadha adds to the greyness of  small town life and spaces in the UK although it's typical.
          So much of the film is about Javed's relationship with his family and moreso his father. Most of the performances in the film are nothing to write home about (with just some quips and exposition) but the main pair of Kalra's Javed and Ghir's Malik have some dramatic scenes. Its a great story for anyone who's had to deal with the expectations of strict parental goals or the immigrant experience. One will be laughing or rocking at other scenes but will be feeling stressed or crying from the emotion of these two. Its a very rocky road but it tells a bit of a solid (if seen many times before) tale of the family. There's some harrowing scenes with the racist NF residents of the town as well that add further occasional terror and depression when the film isn't being heartwarmingly charming. This range is what the film does best aside the occasional melodramatic cheese.
Hardcore Bruce fans will probably be checking this film out anyways but it's recommendable for some of its acting and drama. This may be the best use of “Born To Run” on film in awhile as the teens run through the streets. Something to make us smile and inspired at times in the world of today. 7.3 out of 10