Blinded by the Light

This August hasn't been productive so far. There were a few movies I wanted to see already, but things changed. But I found time to see a movie after all. It's Blinded by the Light, based on Sarfraz Manzoor's book Greetings from Bury Bark. Let's see how it is.

Manzoor is represented in the film by Javed Khan (Viveik Kalra). In 1987, Javed and his Pakistani family are trying to get by in their Luton, England neighborhood. They suffer from a bad economy and racist bullies. Javed is an aspiring writer, but his father, Malik (Kulvinder Ghir), refuses to let him go beyond Luton. 

A new classmate, Roops (Aaron Phagura), introduces him to the music of Bruce Springsteen. The Boss's lyrics invigorate Javed's life. He gains confidence as a writer, gets published and gets a girlfriend, Eliza (Nell Williams). But while Javed's future gets brighter, his family's troubles get darker. How will he mend his relationship with his parents?

Manzoor wrote the film with director Gurinder Chadha and her husband, Paul Mayeda Berges. It's a great case for Springsteen's - or any pop culture figure, for that matter - resonance. We see how Springsteen's songs of the 70s resonate with a young man of the 80s. We also see how Javed's poems resonate with people. This resonance works outside the movie; we might see parallels between Britain of the 80s and the US right now. Socio-political parallels.

The main characters are a nice bunch. Javed is a likable dreamer. We emphasize with him as he faces numerous setbacks. We laugh as he hijacks his school's PA to play Springsteen. His newfound optimistic determinism is inspiring. Malik is a strict father who tests the audience's trust with his harshest actions. But we emphasize with his desperation as he faces debt. His acceptance of Javed's dream and their reconciliation is heartwarming.

There's also a few musical scenes. They don't pop up until about a half-hour in, but they're worth it. A few numbers have Springsteen's lyrics fly across the screen; in others, Javed and co. burst into song. Springsteen's music is a great set list, even including a previously unreleased track, I'll Stand by You. There's also a great, softspoken score by AR Rahman. Another technical highlight is its recreation of the Great Storm of 87. The roaring cyclone is a surprisingly appropriate time to get into Springsteen. Ben Smithard's cinematography perfectly illuminates the fantastical and realistic parts of Javed's life. The production and costume designs perfectly complete the film's vision of the 80s.

Blinded by the Light is a fine late summer film. It's a meaningful family dramedy/coming-of-age story that stands out amongst the blockbusters still around. It's an appealing look at a bygone era, even if it's not that sunny. It's worth seeing at least once even if you're not into Springsteen. The film's 118 minutes will go by relatively quickly.