Streamed & Screened: Movie and TV Reviews and Interviews · Lee Enterprises

Can 'Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere' deliver an Oscar?

·34 min·3 clips

Bruce Miller reveals how a fall broke his elbow and hip, forcing him to use a cane and rethink his mobility.

This episode of Streamed & Screened features hosts Terry Lipschitz and Bruce Miller discussing the new Bruce Springsteen biopic, "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere." Bruce Miller, a retired entertainment reporter, returns to the podcast after recovering from a serious fall that left him using a cane. The conversation centers on their reactions to the film, which focuses on the making of Springsteen's 1982 album "Nebraska." Terry, a lifelong Springsteen fan from New Jersey, saw the film in a theater with his wife, whose more casual fandom provided a contrasting viewpoint. The film stars Jeremy Allen White as Springsteen and Jeremy Strong as his manager, Jon Landau, and is based on Warren Zanes's book "Deliver Me from Nowhere," Springsteen's autobiography "Born to Run," and his Broadway show. Terry felt the script was only okay and the pacing was slow at times, while Bruce found the film lacked sufficient dramatic struggle in Springsteen's story. Both agreed the film underutilized actors like Gaby Hoffmann as Springsteen's mother and wanted more backstory on his mental health struggles and relationship with his father, played by Stephen Graham. A surprising insight is that, according to fact-checks, this biopic is remarkably accurate, with its biggest fictional element being a composite girlfriend character. A minor controversy among fans involves a scene where Springsteen, who reportedly hates mustard, tells a child mustard is his favorite condiment. The hosts note the Rotten Tomatoes scores show a divide, with critics at 59% and audiences at 83%. Terry details the new "Nebraska" box set, praising the electric versions and live recordings but criticizing the new remaster of the original album as "terrible." Bruce shares a personal story about Max Weinberg, Springsteen's drummer, inspiring a young fan with a signed rosin bag. The tone is conversational and informal, marked by personal anecdotes and the hosts' easy rapport. The style is review-focused, blending personal experience with critical analysis of the film's craft and performances. This episode will appeal to Springsteen fans and movie buffs interested in a detailed, fan-informed critique of a musical biopic. Listeners seeking a purely objective review or those with no interest in Springsteen or film analysis might choose to skip it.

As heard by us

A blunt, conversational take on the film, its family tension, and where it feels underused.

This episode treats the film as both a review and a grounded talk about whether its Nebraska-era material and Bruce Springsteen's private damage really land on screen.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want a measured take on Springsteen's darkest chapter?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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