Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere Review: Shouts where Nebraska whispered ★★☆☆☆

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere Review

Shouts Where Nebraska Whispered ★★☆☆☆

Scott Cooper has adapted the story of Nebraska to the big screen, but the result falls short of the album's impact. Nebraska is one of the most mythic albums ever made, created through an unconventional process.

Warren Zane’s book, Deliver Me From Nowhere, aims to uncover the essence of this process and explain Springsteen’s artistic choices following The River tour—a double album blending ballads, rock anthems, and featuring his first Billboard Top 5 hit, "Hungry Heart." After that, Springsteen released a stark, acoustic album with deeply personal lyrics exploring the darker side of Americana.

Zane dives thoroughly into the album’s sound, recording process, commercial context, and Springsteen’s mindset at the time. However, the insights well-suited to a book don’t fully translate to the film.

Scott Cooper’s Deliver Me From Nowhere focuses heavily on the how of making Nebraska, showcasing time in the studio and scenes with Springsteen’s manager, Jon Landau, portrayed impressively by Jeremy Strong. Still, the film struggles to communicate the deeper why behind the album.

Early in the movie, audiences see Springsteen watching Terrence Malick’s Badlands and researching the Starkweather killings, events that inspired the songwriting for Nebraska.

"Zane explores the Nebraska creation with aplomb, diving deep into the album’s grooves and the recording process, as well as its commercial considerations and place in Springsteen’s life at the time."
"Scott Cooper’s Deliver Me From Nowhere wants you to know the HOW of Nebraska, with lots of time spent in the studio and with Springsteen’s manager Jon Landau, played exquisitely by Jeremy Strong, but it never really gets down to the WHY."

Summary: The film adaptation respectfully portrays the making of Nebraska but misses capturing the emotional core that made the album so impactful.

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Brig Newspaper Brig Newspaper — 2025-11-04

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