'Blinded By The Light' Trailer: One Teen Lets The Music Of Bruce Springsteen Guide The Way
Even though the summer is chock-full of blockbusters, there are some indie treasures that will be vying for your attention this season, and one of them was quite the sensation at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.
Based on Sarfraz Manzoor's acclaimed memoir Greetings from Bury Park, the film Blinded by the Light tells the true story of how one Pakistani British teen (newcomer Viveik Kalra in a breakthrough performance) takes solace in the inspirational tunes of Bruce Springsteen. Clashing with his family, persecuted in the streets, and outcast at school, The Boss is the one thing that keeps this kid going strong. Watch the Blinded by the Light trailer below.
Blinded by the Light Trailer
As you can see in the trailer above, this feels like the spiritual sibling Sing Street from a few years back (which is heading to Broadway soon). This is one of those magical, uplifting coming-of-age movies that make you remember what it was like to be a kid, feeling like the whole world was against you. The only person who understood you was whoever sang the lyrics pulsing through your headphones.
I caught the movie from director Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham) at Sundance, and I couldn't have loved it more. In my review, I wrote:
"While you might not find yourself moved by Springsteen or persecuted for the color of your skin like Javed, this is still a universal tale of overcoming adversity and staying true to yourself. Everyone has their own Bruce Springsteen, and everyone has their own obstacles they helped you confront. And the uplifting and moving Blinded by the Light is likely to end up being the very piece of art that some struggling young kid out there needs to get by."
Hayley Atwell also stars in the movie along with Rob Brydon, Kulvinder Ghir, Nell Williams, Dean-Charles Chapman, and Aaron Phagura. It's another indie gem that you'll want to go out of your way to see late this summer after the blockbuster mania dies down.
Blinded by the Light tells the story of Javed (Viveik Kalra) a British teen of Pakistani descent, growing up in the town of Luton, England, in 1987. Amidst the racial and economic turmoil of the times, he writes poetry as a means to escape the intolerance of his hometown and the inflexibility of his traditional father. But when a classmate introduces him to the music of "the Boss," Javed sees parallels to his working-class life in Springsteen's powerful lyrics. As Javed discovers a cathartic outlet for his own pent-up dreams, he also begins to find the courage to express himself in his own unique voice.
Blinded by the Light hits theaters on August 14, 2019.