Sindy Maldonado ’27
Contributing Writer A&E
Storytelling lies at the heart of both music and film, and the new Bruce Springsteen biopic, “Deliver Me from Nowhere,” combines them to offer audiences a deeper understanding of Springsteen and his artistic process. In an interview for E Street Radio on Sirius XM, Springsteen described the film as “a character-driven drama with music.”
The biopic began showing at South Hadley’s Tower Theaters on Oct. 23, a day before its national release. Directed by Scott Cooper and starring Jeremy Allen White, the film takes place between 1981-82, and focuses on Springsteen’s sixth studio album “Nebraska.” “Nebraska” has darker themes than his previous releases, and features several childhood stories, making it a significant part of his musical career and personal story. Filming took place from fall 2024 to early spring 2025.
Rather than tell Springsteen’s life story, the film is set near the peak of his career in the early 1980s. Cooper was determined to “capture the singer-songwriter’s struggles in addition to his success.”
White’s Springsteen is introduced in a concert scene with the E Street Band. We also meet Jon Landau, Springsteen’s manager played by Jeremy Strong. The film follows Springsteen as he returns home to Colts Neck, New Jersey after the tour for his album “The River.” There he wrote and recorded “Nebraska” on a four-track tape machine.
Throughout the film, he occasionally performs at The Stone Pony located in Asbury Park, New Jersey and enters a whirlwind romance with a woman named Faye, a fictional character based off of several of his past romantic relationships. Quickly, Springsteen realizes he is not able to balance his career, personal life and harrowing past.
Springsteen’s first and only choice for the leading role was White, despite White not knowing how to sing or play guitar. Filming took place at the same time of Springsteen’s 2024 tour, but the star made sure to visit set. Although Springsteen didn’t want to get in the way of White’s acting process, the actor said it would’ve felt strange to make the film without Springsteen’s presence. “There was permission in your presence,” White said to Springsteen during the SiriusXM interview.
Several fans of Springsteen who watched the film at Tower Theaters discussed the film with Mount Holyoke News. Mia Gottesman ’28 saw it on Oct. 23. She had planned to watch the film since the end of 2024 because she shares a love of Springsteen’s music with her girlfriend and father. “Going to see this movie allowed me to learn more about one of my favorite artists, listen to a bunch of my favorite songs and learn the stories behind them, and explore an interest that I share with two of my favorite people,” Gottesman said.
Elizabeth Neumann ’28 also saw “Deliver Me From Nowhere” on Oct. 23 and praised the film, comparing it to “A Complete Unknown,” the Bob Dylan biopic. “I think it falls in a similar vein as the Bob Dylan movie, but is honestly much better,” Neumann said in an email interview with Mount Holyoke News. As a fan of “Nebraska,” they found the story behind the album fascinating, and was especially fond of scenes depicting “[Springsteen’s] dates in Ashbury Park and his creation of the initial tracks of Nebraska.”.
South Hadley local, Michael Berthiaume, watched the film on Oct. 25. “One scene that stood out to me in particular is one in which Mr. Springsteen is sitting with a therapist, struggling to even get a word out before breaking down,” Berthiaume said, having been hit “close to home” by the scene. Berthiaume appreciated that the focus was not on the high points of Springsteen’s career, but instead the period of his life that led up to them. He believes learning about “Nebraska” is more interesting than mainstream albums people know of already, such as “Born in the U.S.A,” because it is more personal.
The fans all said they would recommend the movie to others, for its performances, musical elements and the insight to one of rock and roll’s most beloved artists.
Sophie Francis ’28 contributed fact-checking.