The Big Picture ‘Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere’ and the ‘Music Biopic’ Mount Rushmore
4 snips
Oct 24, 2025 
Chris Ryan, a music writer and podcaster, joins Yasi Salek, host of Bandsplain, and Mary Bronstein, writer-director of 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You.' They dive into Scott Cooper's 'Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,' discussing its lack of dramatic stakes and cinematic story. Chris and Yasi express their views on the potential and pitfalls of music biopics, while Mary shares her deeply personal journey in filmmaking and navigating audience empathy. Insights into casting choices and the challenges of telling imperfect stories make for a captivating conversation.
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Missing Dramatic Stakes
- Deliver Me From Nowhere lacks clear dramatic stakes despite focusing on an artist at work.
- The film's intent to show Springsteen's left turn isn't communicated in a way that rewards viewers.
Inspiration Needs Payoff
- Depicting artistic inspiration is hard to make cinematic without strong narrative payoff.
- Scott Cooper's choice to deny big Springsteen moments feels punitive rather than meaningful.
Fan Context Versus General Audience
- Knowledgeable viewers spot missed specifics the film omits, which general audiences won't grasp.
- The movie leaves rich, book-level details on the table and feels hollow to fans.
