Emerging from Sundance with some of the best reviews and potential to be a surprise box office hit was Blinded by the Light. Those who saw the film in Park City couldn’t stop raving about the nostalgic rock drama which centers on a British teen who gets through the ’80s with the help of some good ol’ Bruce Springsteen music. So what makes this movie any different from a million others with a similar idea?
Blinded by the Light offers a different view on the familiar story, as the central character is Pakistani teen Javed, who in 1987 England faces intolerance and economic depression. It’s the latest film from director Gurinder Chadha, who turned a previous exploration of Pakistani identity into a cultural phenomenon with Bend It Like Beckham. She may have another film just like it on her hands.
Here’s the synopsis: “Blinded by the Light” is a joyful story of courage, love, hope, family and the unique ability of music to lift the human spirit. The film tells the story of Javed (Viveik Kalra), a British teen of Pakistani descent growing up in the town of Luton, England, in 1987. Amidst the racial and economic turmoil of the times, he writes poetry as a means to escape the intolerance of his hometown and the inflexibility of his traditional father. But when a classmate introduces him to the music of Bruce Springsteen, Javed sees parallels to his working-class life in the powerful lyrics. As Javed discovers a cathartic outlet for his own pent-up dreams, he also begins to find the courage to express himself in his own unique voice.
You know I very rarely refer you to critics outside of our little site here, but there’s nobody I trust more than Joblo.com’s Chris Bumbray who absolutely swore by this film at Sundance. You should definitely check out his rave review.
Blinded by the Light opens on August 14th.
