Our Review

                  Movie: SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME

                                      FROM NOWHERE

   Rating: PG-13, thematic material, some sexuality,                        strong language, and smoking`

                                  Length: 2:00

                    Release Date: October 24, 2025  

Jeanne: Written and directed by Scott Cooper (CRAZY HEART, 2009), SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE, is based on the book Deliver Me from Nowhere by Warren Zanes, in which the author documents the making of Bruce Springsteen’s album “Nebraska” in 1982. Starring Jeremy Allen White as Springsteen and Jeremy Strong as his long-time friend and manager, Jon Landau, Cooper’s film offers a glimpse into one of the darkest periods in the Boss’s life.

Following the very successful tour for his most recent album, “The River”, in 1981, Springsteen seeks comfort from his childhood haunts near the Jersey Shore. Exhausted and in need of some well-deserved down time, he rents a house in Colts Neck, New Jersey, not far from his hometown of Freehold.

Being so close to his childhood home causes Bruce to flash back to his younger self, played with great vulnerability by Matthew Pellicano, Jr. His father, Doug Springsteen (Stephen Graham), is an abusive alcoholic, while his mother, Adele (Gaby Hoffman), provided

stability --- and a love of music.

Battling depression, he immerses himself in the stories of Flannery O’Connor and Terrence Malick’s 1973 film BADLANDS. He is also drawn to Suicide’s 1977 debut album, along with the horrific story of killers Charles Starkweather and Caril Fugate. All of these influence the album he records on a 4-track recorder in the bedroom of his rental home. That album, “Nebraska”, is considered by many to be “one of his most enduring works”.

When not holed up in his bedroom recording, Springsteen still gets on stage at the Stone Pony, performing with the house bands. After one such night, he meets an old friend from high school who introduces him to his younger sister, Faye Romano, played beautifully by Australian actor, Odessa Young. 

Faye is actually an amalgamation of various women Bruce was seeing during that time --- a time when he felt he wasn’t emotionally available. And though Faye, a single mother, is very interested in Bruce, his commitment to this deeply emotional album --- and his growing depression --- keep him from taking things further with Faye. Instead, he moves to Los Angeles.

Full disclosure, not a fan of “The Bear” or Jeremy Allen White, but he does an exemplary job of portraying this larger-than-life musician. He possesses just the right amount of swagger to do the role justice and he does learn to sing like Bruce. It’s not an easy task playing a well-known figure at such a low point in his life. But White is up to the task, displaying the sensitivity and mental anguish of someone struggling with their mental health.

Be warned, Cooper’s film is not a biopic. There are not the concert revivals --- nor a lot of singing. SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE is an honest depiction, with Bruce’s blessing, of a very difficult time in his life and career, prior to him addressing his mental health issues. It’s humbling --- and fascinating.

Opinion: See It Now!

David: Many times, we go into a movie theater expecting one thing but quickly realize that expectations are often misplaced. Such is the case with SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE, which I naively believed would be a tribute to the iconic career of a true rock star.

While we are treated to an early scene of Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen, aka the Boss, performing in front of screaming fans, this film from acclaimed writer/director Scott Cooper focuses on Springsteen creating the music he most wanted at that time. And it does not shy away from dealing with Bruce’s depression at age 31.

He was not always comfortable with all the fame and attention, and he desperately wanted to produce an album he taped from his own cassette recording, eventually entitled “Nebraska” released in 1982. He initially considered calling it “Starkweather” referring to Charles Starkweather, a notorious serial killer in Nebraska. One of Bruce’s mega productions came two years later under the banner of “Born in the USA”, the album which included smash hits like “I’m On Fire” and “Dancing in the Dark”.

Portraying an iconic figure like Springsteen fell to White

(“The Bear”), who admits to not being able to sing or play the guitar. In addition to watching hours of Springsteen on YouTube, White spent five months training with guitar coach J.D. Simo and vocal coach Eric Vetro. His performance in SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE demonstrates what a capable performer he is, whether dealing with his abusive father (played by Stephen Graham), or his deep, personal relationship with his manager and closest friend, Jon Landau (Jeremy Strong of TV’s “Succession”). Landau is depicted as Bruce’s strongest supporter, including convincing him to seek professional help for his depression. Both Jeremys are superb in this story.

Cooper created a fictional girlfriend for Bruce named Faye (portrayed exceptionally by Odessa Young). She is a composite of the women Bruce dated in real life during this time. Ms. Young, with her big blue eyes and lovely smile, falls for Bruce in a big way, but ultimately must cope with his surprise move to California.

Others in the excellent cast include Paul Walter Hauser as Mike Batlan, Bruce’s guitar tech, and Gaby Hoffman as his mother, Adele. Marc Maron also appears as Chuck Plotkin, one of the engineers in the recording studio.

Many scenes from Bruce’s childhood in Freehold, New Jersey, are shot in black & white, featuring Bruce as an eight-year-old dealing with his father’s abuse of his mother and himself. The young actor here is Matthew Pellicano Jr. who shows such promise at such a young age.

Based on the book Deliver Me from Nowhere by Warren Zanes, SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE is a complex telling of Springsteen’s struggles as he was on the cusp of international stardom. It’s a film that even the most diehard Springsteen fans can appreciate and treasure.

Opinion: Strong See It Now!