Blinded by the Light 2019

     This film is based on the book Greetings from Bury Park - Race, Religion, Rock ’N’Roll and inspired by the words and music of Bruce Springsteen.  Also, inspired by the life of journalist Sarfraz Manzoor and based on his memoir Greetings from Bury Park.  In 1987 England, a teenager from a Pakistani family learns to live his own life.  He begins to understand his family and find his voice through the music of Bruce Springsteen.  Javid Khan is a British-Pakistani arts student in Luton.  His father is dominating and Javid is depressed by his oppressive family life.  He feels he has no future in his hostile community.  A newfound friend introduces him the the music of Bruce Springsteen.  Javid is touched by the star’s powerfully eloquent ownership of his own feelings.  Javid is inspired to reach out for his own dreams with his own talents.  He finds friends but he butts heads with his newly unemployed father.  There is a conflict of values and his father refuses to understand Javed’s new aspirations.  Javed will need to decide what is truly important to him and learn to cope with his family struggles.
     This is a feel-good, fact-based comedy.  It shares themes with the songs about conflict between tradition and following your own dreams.  There are tensions between parents and teens.  It also shows how something can become an all-consuming obsession.  There is the importance of empathy, working hard and overcoming difficult obstacles to achieve your goals.  Learning to appreciate the sacrifices others make in your behalf.  There is some strong language, racist bullying and violence.  There is a hate crime at a local mosque and characters feel threatened because of their race.  I could see how Javed was regaining his own power through the words of the songs and from his friends.  A teacher encourages him in his pursuit of writing.  5* (I really liked this film)  
   
118 min, Comedy directed by Gurinder Chadha and written by Surfraz Manzoor, Paul Mayeda Berges and Sarfraz Manzoor with Billy Barratt, Ronak Singh Chadha Berges, Viveik Kaira, Lee Barnett, Dean-Charles Chapman, Kit Reeve, David Hayman, Kulvnder Ghir, Nikita Mehta.

Note:  Imdb 6.9 out of 10 with 12,678 views, Rotten Tomatoes 89% with 243 critics 91% audience with 2,634 ratings, Roger Ebert 3 1/2* Sheila O’Malley, The Guardian 3* out of 5* Simran Hans, RollingStone 4* out of 5* Peter Travers, Washington Post 3.5* out of 4* Ann Hornaday, Amazon 4.4* out of 5* with 486 reviews, Metacritic 71 out of 100 with 44 critics (36 positive, 7 mixed, 1 negative) 6.6 out of 10 with 73 ratings (45 positive, 17 mixed, 11 negative), Letterboxd 3.4* out of 5*.

Special Note:  Filmed at The Mall Luton, United Kingdom and New York City, New York.  Blinded by the Light was in Springsteen’s debut album Greetings from Asbury Park N.J. 1973.