Blinded by the Light

Joyous coming-of-age movie set in 1987, telling the story of young Javed, a teenager of Pakistani descent growing up on a housing estate in Luton – and how the music of Bruce Springsteen gave him a reason to believe. Thatcher, the Cold War, AIDS and sporadic racial tensions. Permed hair, new romantics and mobile phones like bricks. Teenagers had a lot to contend with in the 1980s – young Javed even more than most. His overbearing disciplinarian father is trying to keep the family in check despite losing his job at the car factory. His mother is working her fingers to the bone to make ends meet. Big sister is about to enter an arranged marriage – a fate which could be coming Javed’s way unless he comes up with a plan. But when Javed’s Sikh friend Roops lends to him two cassettes by Bruce Springsteen, Javed’s life is transformed. Bruce’s music and lyrics give him the confidence to find love, and to escape Luton and make it to university in the promised land of Manchester. Loosely based on Sarfraz Manzoor’s ‘Greetings from Bury Park’, Blinded by the Light has been directed by Gurinder Chadha (Bend it Like Beckham, Bhaji on the Beach). This is another of her films which explore her dual identity – as both British and Asian. Set in 1987, but made as a response to Brexit, it’s fascinating to see the parallels between society today and that of 30+ years ago. The Springsteen fans will see Blinded by the Light as a chrome-wheeled fuel injected joy. But there’s drama, humour and charm to please all. “Chadha knows how to please a crowd. The film’s puppyish enthusiasm – for both Springsteen and the unifying power of music – is potent.” The Guardian “irresistible Springsteen-powered Eighties escapism” The Telegraph 12A: contains racist language and behaviour, moderate bad language

Blinded by the Light

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