The latest music-legend-driven film in the current popular cycle, Blinded By The Light proves to be an occasionally confusing and frustrating viewing experience, but it certainly is very entertaining and warm-hearted indeed. The first act sets about establishing the film's 1980s Luton setting with the predictably loud hair and fashion, accompanied by a killer soundtrack of everyone's 7" vinyl pop collection from that era, before introducing antagonist Javed (a wonderful performance by Viveik Kalra) to the music of Bruce Springsteen, and from then on it is The Boss's music that provides the background and impetus of the story. There are lots of supporting performances to enjoy, Springsteen's golden era tracks are unquestionably a joy to hear loud in a cinema, and the coming-of-age story staples used here actually mean something when placed in the context of destructive Thatcherism, racism and cultural loyalty. When the film embraces wholeheartedly the quasi-jukebox-musical style silliness, it works beautifully, and when the film takes a step back to breathe and allow the actors to engage with real drama, it shows real depth, but there are a few times when the film falls between the two styles and displays a stilted artificiality that lacks conviction in both writing and performance. Overall, however, Blinded By The Light is an entertaining and engaging film that has ideas and uses the Springsteen music and ideas to very good effect.
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