Thatcher’s England of the eighties brought to life some harsh realities and truths still evident today in regards to Britain’s often times difficult relationship with immigration. Set against this troublesome backdrop is a tale about family, fitting in and The Boss, Bruce Springsteen.
How a Pakistani boy from Luton (located in the south east of England) becomes enamoured with the musical icon from New Jersey underlines the story. A story very loosely based on the life of Sarfraz Manzoor, a British journalist and broadcaster who wrote the book Greetings from Bury Park.
Javed (Viveik Kalra) is a young man torn between two worlds. One side sees him as a dutiful son in a traditional Pakistani family while the other side sees him yearning to be more than just his upbringing and embrace the west. The film takes musical flights of fantasy often and it’s clever in the way it presents the lyrics and music of Bruce Springsteen.
For such a heavy time, the film is light entertainment. It makes its message with a subtle touch, not the sledge hammer approach and in that way it’s quite entertaining. Music is the universal language and often speaks to the better part of ourselves. Blinded By The Light is a heart-warming example of that.
Rob Hudson
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