In the 1970s, American musician Bruce Springsteen took the world by storm with his enticing musical talent. Scott Cooper’s 2025 film, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, is a biopic that centers on Springsteen’s personal turmoil during the creation of his 1982 studio album, Nebraska.
The film highlights how personal the album was for Springsteen and the effort he put into replicating and preserving the artistic integrity of the imperfect sound he spontaneously captured in his bedroom with makeshift recording equipment. This arc brings a unique set of qualities to the film. From scenes showing Springsteen searching for inspiration for specific lyrics and songs, giving the film the charm of a detective story, to moments that, without a single line of dialogue, convey the panic and stress felt by both Springsteen and the viewer.
In the lead role of Springsteen, Jeremy Allen White delivers what may be one of the best performances of the year and arguably his career. The dedication White brings to the role clearly mirrors Springsteen’s own commitment to his craft. He injects a sense of instability that reflects the singer’s struggles with mental health during that period, making it believable that this is a man solely focused on creating an unprecedented album — one without tours, ads or radio.
Every small detail, from the subtle changes in his voice after performances to his facial expressions and body language as he grows increasingly frustrated with the impossible task of capturing and maintaining the album’s soul, adds depth to his portrayal. These details are what make White embody Springsteen’s talent and personality so convincingly.
The film throws the viewer into a turning point in Springsteen’s life, when he has just gotten off tour and is moving back to his hometown. When Springsteen finds himself catching inspiration from murder discussed on television, he begins working on new music with a sound unlike anything he’s made before. The unorthodox way he recorded this new track allowed for capturing the unique sound on quality studio equipment. This poses a struggle in capturing the imperfections of the original recording. White manages to portray Springsteen in such a way that makes his difficulty pursuing a relationship realistic, yet makes the viewer happy to see his relationships prevail.
The film’s visual style keeps the viewer’s eyes glued to the screen from the opening until the credits roll. It opens with a flashback to Springsteen’s childhood, shot entirely in black and white, and often returns to these flashbacks that build the relationship between Springsteen and his father. Each time they appear in black and white, giving the flashbacks a nostalgic vibe that makes them stand out to the viewer. Aside from the flashbacks, the visuals are bright and vibrant, with mostly warm colors in the shots that allow for beautiful contrast when cooler colors are used.
Another highlight of the film is the characters’ clothing. The film’s costume designer, Kasia Walicka Maimone, dresses the cast in garments very fitting for the time period, immersing the viewer in this 1980s small town, but the detail doesn’t stop there. Each article of clothing is slightly distressed, giving the film’s aesthetic and world a lived-in feel, as if it were worn numerous times before appearing on screen.
Like most biopics, some aspects are added or altered to craft a suitable film plot. The most notable aspects of the film are completely accurate to the person’s true life. The largest of these is the existence of the main love interest of the film, Faye Romano, a fictional character created by the filmmaker Scott Cooper. She is an amalgamation of several women Springsteen had relationships with during this period of his life. Romano and her relationship with her daughter perfectly mirrors Springsteen’s relationship with his own parents and supports the film’s arc with his father. While this change was made to make Springsteen’s life more palatable on screen, the film is largely accurate, and Faye acts as one of the best side characters.
Scott Cooper’s 2025 film, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, is a moving and visually enticing addition to the large catalog of musician biopics. It captures the soul of Springsteen’s music and connects viewers with his life, struggles and creative process. With striking accuracy in depicting the 1980s and a mix of real and fictional elements, it masterfully tells a story about love, art, family and one man’s dedication to delivering an album that would change the music world forever. Springsteen poured his heart into every song he produced, just as Scott Cooper, Jeremy Allen White and all of the other amazingly talented artists involved in this film did to bring Springsteen’s story to the big screen.
