Blinded by the Light

Blinded by the Light is just brilliant! It's so heartwarming, heartbreaking and funny all at the same time! I laughed, cried and really tried hard to not sing along! Sure, it's corny in parts but it adds to the magic of it. It's never gonna win an Oscar, but it's a deffo feel-good movie that will literally have you smiling from ear to ear!

Based on the semi autobiographical by journalist Sarfraz Manzoor. Blinded by the Light is about Javed (Viveik Kalra) a teenager who has started college in 1987 in the town of Luton which is facing industrial decline and the rise in racism.

Javed grew up in a traditional Pakistani family, his dad works in a car factory and is soon to be made redundant. His dad would like Javed to have a professional job where he can earn good money, Javed wants to write instead but he thinks no one would be interested. When a college friend introduces him to the music of Bruce Springsteen, Javed finds the Boss's music talks to him directly and it enables Javed to find his own voice.

My parents used to talk about living in Luton. They must have hated it as they only stayed there for a few months and soon returned up north. Life in Luton during Mrs Thatcher's 1980s was not too different from many other towns. No jobs, no money and fascists wanting to blame immigrants. It is notable that this film is set in 1987 but the yuppies have yet to get to places like Luton. They only seemed to have existed in London at that time.

Blinded by the Light is a feel good movie with undercurrents of the political and economics circumstances of the 1980s. It is a fertile ground to incorporate Bruce Springsteen songs, particularly from albums such as The River and Darkness in the Edge of Town. These albums had songs which resonated with blue collar workers in the USA that were facing job insecurity and young people heading towards a life of uncertainty.

The film also shows that Springsteen's songs cuts across class, nationality, race and religion. It is this which elevates the movie. Javed, a young lad of Pakistani origin and his friend Roops, a sikh are inspired by the Boss's music and find meaning in their lives.

What lets the movie down is the well worn cliche of the Asian son and father having differences when it comes to growing up.

The film contains twelve Springsteen songs including an unreleased song that he originally wrote for the first Harry Potter film but was unused. Given that the Boss can be notorious in allowing clearance for his music to be used in movies, in effect this film had his blessing and I was surprised he did not end up with a Producer credit.

I saw this at a secret screening and it's not my normal kind of film, but it is a interesting message about culture and how the ideals we are exposed to can shape us.

Sticking with it to the end brings it full circle, and that seems to be the point of the story.

I just saw this in a Cineworld Unlimited screening and, other than having seen the trailer and thought it looked ok, knew very little of Blinded By The Light. Immediately a few people got up and walked out. Ten minutes in a couple more joined them. Others waited an hour, then popped off. Some of these people - though not necessarily in the same screening as me - have added their 1-star review to IMDb. These people should have their Unlimited cards confiscated and be barred from cinemas and writing reviews permanently. Sure, it's not a perfect film - Springsteen is shoehorned in a cringeworthy number of times and the narrative has a paint-by-numbers feel to it - but it's a cheerful film with a good message: do what makes you happy and don't be a douche. Those giving the 1-star reviews really did miss the second part of the message. Look, it's an ok film. If you like Bend It Like Beckham, you'll probably enjoy this. Of you're a massive 'The Boss' fan, you'll probably enjoy this. Don't trust the 1-star reviews; it's never a 1-star film. I'd probably really rate this 5 stars, but I'm adding one just to counter a couple of those walk-outs who feel justified in tarring a film with their own ineptitude.

Blinded By The Light

I enjoyed this movie very much once I got beyond being dragged back to the 80's with the dodgy hair and flares.

The movie explored many themes and these provided the backdrop for a rites of passage of a young Pakistani man growing up in Luton. He needed to make sense of the world and this was through the cipher of Bruce Springsteen's lyrics and music.

What was good,

1, whilst dealing with racism it was presented as a feature of the time, it did not take over the movie.

2, the story was more important than realism and we had moments when the movie took off with musical numbers.

3, the whole cast did a brilliant job particularly the mum and the dad,

4, Javed play by Viveik Kalra was a masterclass in micro-emotions, the whole movie rested on this young man and he delivered the goods. Skills way beyond his years.

5, the music and graphic were great I just wish I was more familiar with the Boss's music but we were listening to Kate Bush and Duran Duran.

6, Margaret Thatcher brought a decade of pain to Britain as she transformed a bankrupt state to a market economy. It was necessary but had terrible effects on people's lives and this was shown effectively here.

This was a very niche movie, very claustrophobic and there was very little action but I enjoyed it immensely.