Greetings From Luton Town, U.K.
117 Mins. Starring: Viveik Kalra, Kulvinder Ghir, Nell Williams, Dean Charles-Chapman, Aaron Phagura, Meera Gantara, Rob Brydon & Hayley Atwell. Director: Gurinder Chadha.
Born in the U.K. and born to run...away. 'Blinded By The Light' will show you like the illuminating neon of Asbury Park amusement arcades that tramps like us can escape our own death traps without a suicide rap. We can still get out while we're young. All it takes is a thunder road off the backstreets of E Street, out this Jungleland as the lightning hits you and all the electric, eclectic thoughts you've wrote. You don't have to be a runaway American dream, or a Jersey boy. You could be a kid from a small seaside town that reminds you of Asbury. Or you could even be from Luton. We can all identify with the Boss when our own one is telling us we're going nowhere...fast. We all get lost in the flood growin' up. Looking for a bus that will take us to 82nd street. Mary Queen of Arkansas or Javed King of England. Whether your from Houston or Luton. Bedfordshire or Bedrock...hey you know if he was real Fred Flintstone would drop the bill of that bird needle on some 'Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.' This is for you. And when it comes to this spirit in the night, angel, saint or city. If you can't relate to a young British teen of Pakistani descent living in 1987 then you are missing the point and Springsteen's blue collar to boot strapped message that pulls with anyone who ties their shoelaces one at a time in the morning, waiting on a sunny day. The Boss is still working too. Oh boy you bet he is. Springsteen a month or so ago released his latest album and his first original set of material in years, with the solo songwriting standards of a Roy Orbison lonely cowboy in his rave reviewed 'Western Stars' fan favourite classic. Fresh off a Broadway tour that probably made more money for the working man's dream than even Springsteen had ever seen. So just when you thought he could put his boots up and call it a working day. Steston brim pulled down low, he's still grinding on this open road. Whilst his old American muscle car dreams of escaping from the seventies and eighties are still gunning down the highway or M6 and inspiring. Hello Sunshine.
Tougher than the rest, Viveik Kalra is a young Springsteen to the American dream. Writing his life away to a brand new day. As he from the heartland countryside looks at the motorway highway from his two star town to London like it's not all Big Smoke and mirrors. 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'Rocketman'. Right now like Glastonbury it's a festival of great British music movies. 'Yesterday' they said a movie where Beatlemania didn't exist anymore was the feel good movie of the here comes the sun, Summer. And it was fifty years ago that day when a fab four called John, Paul, George and Ringo crossed some place called Abbey Road. Which is coincidentally how long it takes cars to drive through that iconic zebra crossing today. Although we wouldn't have it any other way. But this movie starring another true Brit is the jumping for 'Juno' orange flag joy, 'Billy Elliott' dancing in the dark like racing in the street flick, on the edge of a lucky town season. For all those with high hopes needing that human touch. As soon as that classic cassette is dropped on our boy wonders cafeteria lunch tray it's on like a food fight. Bananarama, Culture Club, Pet Shop Boys, Salt N PEPA (see John Mulaney as Patrick Stewart doing SNL), New Order, WHAM! This may be the Blondie 80's for a United Kingdom searching for that first part of their name like the States. But our hero here prefers a denim, bandana clad, white tee warrior Born in the U.S.A. And born down in a dead man's town he won't end up like a dog that's been beat too much. Despite the racism he faces in his own home country, like the same one Springsteen took shots at in what many subterfuge thought was his patriotic ode to his flag. President's or candidates wrongfully playing it at their rallies are really the ones getting played. Let's all take a knee like Kaepernick in respect. If the national anthems not for everyone, then it's for no one. Whatever country you sing for. But whoever you Brooooooooce sing for. Make sure you sing for equality and freedom and for your own one and sense of self. As this movie based on the life and 'Greetings From Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock N' Roll' book by Guardian journalist Sarfraz Manzoor. Directed by brilliant 'Bend It Like Beckham' game changer Gurinder Chadha, with another Great British modern day, down to earth classic, shows as it puts a lens on Thatcher's Britain and the vile racism we can all in reflection learn from with what's going on today all around the world, that this movie is more than just Bruce Springsteen. Even if the soundtrack is the perfect playlist of Springsteen signature to add to your catalogue collection including some Cutting Crew and Human League 80's classics and the 'I'll Stand By You' unreleased rarity collectors item, originally wrote for Harry Potter. But instead all he sings about for all of us. Hard work. Survival. Heart. Soul. Dreams. Family.
Nostalgia. From Anthena stores to put up on your wall and HMV's (long live His Masters Voice...we're still singing) that have this writer who used to work in a closed down one in more bits than he was crying throughout this entire movie that scales every emotion like the motor guitar riff of a Springsteen song, this Smash Hit is full of it. Just like the cast who surround this poet played pitch perfect by Kalra like the headphones that play all those Boss songs as he turns traditions into a silent disco before getting down with his culture. Viveik is the star of the show. But even Springsteen needed the E Street Band. Even if this is set during the times through a 'Tunnel Of Love' divorce. There's his 'Doctor Who' starring friend Aaron Phagura. Who with the appropriate speech and stars and stripes flagged denim first introduces our teenage American dream to the popping of his Springsteen cherry...which for those who know their true Boss may be just as important as their actual one (and we're talking about they cherry here. Not the all work and no play). And as they pirate some Springsteen radio for a teen rebel heart scene that's straight out of a John Hughes movie, they end up in a musical number, running and two-stepping around town which gets them strutting across the bridge like 'The Breakfast Club' for a scene that don't you forget about. His other best friend Dean Charles-Chapman, whose starred in stage in 'Billy Elliott' of all musicals and 'Into The Badlands' for more Boss references, has a flock of seagulls haircut and is still a ladies man even though he looks a bit like Bono...but we can forgive him for that. Because he is a class act. Just like the legend that is his dad Rob Brydon on hand with the big name laughs. Along with the apple of Hayley Atwell's best teacher who really brings the worlds worth out this young man's words from the desk of class. How can you not be inspired in this American Dream deferred in Luton when you have both the boss Bruce and the love of Captain America's life on ice? And with his Wendy in the Go Go haired Nell Williams, who grew up to be Cersei in 'Game Of Thrones' (she's the one) our leading man has all he needs. A life worth living for, love and a song in his back pocket. Now only if he could get his car to start. Or get past the dreams of his father. As with his 'Goodness Gracious Me' alum parent partnering up in The Beatles 'Yesterday', Kulvinder Ghir deserves a Bafta here for a brilliant and conflicted classic performance of the kind of father and son Yusef Islam sung about when he went by the name Cat Stevens. And how about the moving mothering of the never quitting or complaining Meera Gantara with so much love? Funny, firm, but warm in heart, Ghir shows us what we all know is true, but are too afraid to say out loud. The relationship between father and son is often complicated. But it's all and nothing short of love...in its truest looking out for you form kid. And when they get to that you will too. Just know that he is proud. Father or son. Because this behind the notes scrawled down from the songs of the young man from Freehold (reminding this writer that for all the countless times he's been to New York he should have really made that New Jersey pilgrimage) is what this film is truly about. This time capsule shows that music is just as important as movies and in telling a story they go hand-in-hand, racing down the street too. Especially in concert with this year. 'Blinded By The Light' or 'Yesterday'. Like Dexter Fletcher's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and 'Rocketman' or The Beatles and Springsteen, for this writer it's impossible to call it. But just know that these two iconic tales of two young men under the influence of inspiration are just as important as those two big legends of biopics. Take a right at the light, keep going straight until night and then boy you're on your own. Because mama this is where the fun is. From my hometown to yours in this land of hopes and dreams, 'Blinded By The Light' will show all you runners in the night that no matter who you are, you'll all make it...alright? TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Yesterday', 'Bend It Like Beckham', 'Springsteen On Broadway'.
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