This movie is a biographical dramatization about the life and endeavors of revered musical artist, Bruce Springsteen, during 1981 and 1982. At the time, Springsteen had just come off his tour to promote his latest album “The River” and had returned to his roots in Central New Jersey. He rented a home deep in nature in Colts Neck, seemingly to recover from performance burn-out and to plan his next steps. He was 31 and started work on his sixth studio album called “Nebraska” while living alone in this remote location, eventually buying the home. The movie, released on October 25, is rated PG-13 and was adapted from a 2023 biography written by Warren Zane, who is one of the film’s executive producers. The director and screenwriter, Scott Cooper “Crazy Heart”, is known for intense character narratives and emotionally moody films, of which this is one.

Without a doubt, the best part of the movie is the extent to which Jeremy Allen White known for his role in “The Bear” inhabits the role of Springsteen. His portrayal goes beyond mimicry, to the point where those of us who were of age to remember Bruce in his prime can feel like we are watching the real thing. He taps into the musical star’s vocal style and physical mannerisms with an authenticity that is likely a product of White’s hard work as a method actor for the role. White worked intensively with a vocal coach and also learned to play guitar (with a Gibson provided by Springsteen) prior to production. He studied Springsteen interviews, vocal recordings and performances and does all the singing for any scenes where “The Boss” performs. Springsteen served as an advisor to the film and is reported to have been on the set most days, even though he is not named in the credits nor does he appear in a cameo.  Other notables include a quality performance by Jeremy Strong as Springsteen’s manager and friend of many years, Jon Landau. Stephen Graham, known for his gritty roles over the years, plays Springsteen’s alcoholic and abusive father with believability. The film starts with a black and white sequence from Springsteen’s boyhood, with flashbacks to those times appearing throughout to display the family trauma.

Springsteen’s relationship with his father clearly influenced many aspects of his life, likely including his struggles with depression. The story of 1981 and 1982, in a nutshell, shows Springsteen’s desire to escape the grip of record executives who want him to release a new album with commercially sellable songs to further catapult him to stardom. Instead, after finishing his recent tour, Springsteen wants to decompress and get away from the commercially pumped-up music machine. He embarks on a solitary process writing and recording songs in a different style which speak more to his heart during this time of contemplation. The record folks don’t believe these songs created for an album to be called “Nebraska” will sell well to the public. Landau, his manager, is portrayed as walking the tightrope between keeping the record company interested and also supporting his client. 

Fans who expect a broader biopic may be disappointed that the film focuses only on a two-year period of Springsteen’s storied life. However, given the expanse of Springsteen’s decades of successful musical showmanship, I found it appealing that the movie concentrated on a mere two-year timeframe and took us on a deeper dive as to his emotions and career dilemmas. The performance scenes take a back seat to Springsteen’s journey of introspection and isolation as he worked to develop the new album according to his own terms. A fleeting romantic relationship is depicted. This is a good movie with a story line that carries it sufficiently to be appealing to both ardent Springsteen fans and those who are less ardent or familiar with the performer.