Feeling tired and a little frayed I took myself off to the early morning showing of this gem of a film. Firstly it is not a musical though the story has the restorative power of music at its very heart (there are a couple of joyful 80's video homages that shouldn't work but somehow do.) Set against the back drop of Thatchers Britain it follows aspiring writer Javed trying to find his own identity while juggling his Pakistani and English cultures. When he is introduced to the music of Bruce Springsteen he sees himself reflected in the lyrics. Bruce's music gives Javed a voice showing that music can cross countries and cultures and talk to our deepest selves. While I am very much only a casual Bruce listener the songs worked brilliantly with the story line and gave me a new appreciation of his music.
The film perfectly captures the look and feel of the 80's, aided by the non-Bruce songs of my teen years. It borders on corny a couple of times but its sheer exuberance made me smile anyway. I also teared up more than once fueled by a mixture of shame, nostalgia and connection. A film that speaks of the ties that bind us, of fighting against our constraints, dreams sought and dreams laid aside and the power music has to make us feel truly seen . After the film I was left standing at the bustop feeling quite undone. Wonderful!
