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BLINDED BY THE LIGHT
****
Dir: Gurinder Chadha (12A, 117 mins)
An uplifting coming of age tale, told via the music of Bruce Springsteen, Blinded By The Light is a definite crowdpleaser. Inspired by journalist Sarfraz Manzoor’s memoir about growing up in the 80s, this is also a triumphant return for Bend It Like Beckham director Chadha. Viveik Kalra plays Javed, a British teenager of Pakistani descent lives a fairly drab existence in 1987’s Luton, fending off his dad’s draconic ways, stopping his kids from getting involved in decadent British culture. When he discovers the music of Bruce Springsteen, Javed’s life transforms, the plain-speaking American songsmith addressing him directly. When he listens to Springsteen he can ask major crush Eliza (Nell Williams) out, quoting the lyrics to Prove It All Night. Javed is a poet but fears writing, criticizing his efforts as his dad would, thinking it’s pointless. Springsteen’s music gives him a lift, however, enabling him to believe that he can be a writer, that he has something to say in Thatcher’s Britain and that he can make more of his life. It’s a great heartwarming tale with a fantastic central performance, gleefully directed by Chadha, packed with faith, passion and a lack of irony and will have you fist-pumping the air for joy.
Opens Aug 9
words Keiron Self