In recent years, we have seen the release of full "bio-pics" of famous folk from the world of American music. These include such figures as Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin and Elton John. Now, we have one about Bruce Springsteen. But this one offers a mere slice of the Boss's life, focusing on the years 1981-82, when Bruce created his own writer's retreat so that he could work on songs for a new album. This movie is based on the 2023 book by Warren Zanes, Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska.

Bruce (Jeremy Allen White) finds his retreat by renting a house in Colts Neck, New Jersey. It's not far from his hometown of Freehold. It's not far from the beach and from The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, which are some of his favorite places. Here we can see a creative person at creative work, with pen and paper, with acoustic guitar, and with lots of thinking. We witness some of his influences: from movies, books, interactions with others, scenes he sees out in public, memories of his childhood, and his relationship with his father. Scenes from Bruce's past appear in black and white on the screen.

Then, with just a four-track cassette recorder, several guitars, a few other random instruments and, on occasion, the help of his engineer friend Mike Batlan (Paul Walter Hauser), Bruce lays down the sample tracks as he imagines them. He has enough music for two albums. For Nebraska, he is determined to get the final product done exactly the way he wants it, with no publicity, no tour and no singles gleaned from it. Record company executives, be damned. He also has enough key songs for a second album that will become Born in the U.S.A. But these will have to wait.

At the same time, Bruce is dealing with his own personal demons. His is the tortured soul of someone who is both highly sensitive and highly creative. Perhaps the lesson we can learn here is that self-doubt and self-denial, combined with a firm need for constant perfection, can be as personally damaging as turning to alcohol or drugs. When he goes out to buy a car -- a Camero Z28 -- the salesman says, "I DO know who you are." Bruce replies, "Well, that makes one of us."

I'm not sure that I've ever heard much of the music from Nebraska before seeing this movie. I have been a casual fan, over the years. I have seen Bruce four times in concert, and the first event was in December 1992. So this movie's storyline comes well before I have my own memories of Bruce's performances. I enjoyed reading his 2016 autobiography, Born to Run. I thought to look through this book now, to find out what Bruce said about this time in his life, and about the 1981-82 retreat. The best excerpt I could find was this one: "When I looked down and saw bottom, Jon [Landau] assisted me toward help that would refocus and alter the course of my life. I owe a great debt to my friend for his kindness, generosity, and love. He's done a pretty nice job of management, too." (page 217)

White mirrors a convincing Springsteen, right down to the amount of drenching sweat he carries at the end of a high-energy performance. (Bruce chose and endorsed Jeremy, himself.) Jeremy Strong is Jon Landau, Bruce's friend, manager, and closest companion. Stephen Graham portrays Bruce's father, Douglas. Gaby Hoffmann is Adele, Bruce's mother. Fun fact: Although Gaby has held many other roles over the years, you may remember her best from her acting debut as Karin, daughter of Ray and Annie Kinsella (Kevin Costner and Amy Madigan), in the 1989 classic, Field of Dreams. The role of young Bruce is played well and somewhat hauntingly here by Matthew Anthony Pellicano Jr.

Deliver Me from Nowhere may inspire you to seek out a copy of Springsteen's Nebraska album and hear the songs in their final form. Which is probably something that Bruce himself would encourage and would want you to do. It may also prompt you to think even more highly of Bruce Springsteen than you already do, since we watch a strong person experience one of his most vulnerable times. You might even say that this approach gives him a human touch.