Blinded by the Light (2019)

[Leonidas King]

Originally Posted by Chaotic

Not sure why this was marketed before family movies. Saw the trailer before Toy Story 4, Pets 2 and Lion King. Should've marketed towards adult movies like Once Upon a Time and Annabelle.

?

Not sure if serious. This is most definitely a family based movie.

[prozacnation1978]

Dam forgot about this. Gotta see this, peanutbutter falcon and angel has fallen film only got 2 slots

[The Great Owl]

Four and a half stars (rounded to five for the poll)

In 1987, Javed, a teenager played by Viveik Kalra, and his family of Pakistani immigrants struggle to fit in and make ends meet in a drab London suburb that is torn by economic strife and racism. Our young protagonist, whose loyalties to his family in light of his father's job loss are challenged by his hungry heart to leave for the city, dreams of being a writer, but is held back by self-doubt and shyness. Life changes for Javed when he is introduced to the music of Bruce Springsteen, whose ballads about restless working-class malaise speak directly to his own plight of lonely yearning.

The earnest 2019 coming-of-age tale, Blinded by the Light, which was directed by Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckam), named after the 1973 hit from Springsteen's debut album, and inspired by the true story of journalist Sarfraz Manzoor, follows on the heels of Danny Boyle's Yesterday as the second movie of the year that examines the far-reaching effect of music on the lives of lost souls. The difference is that this new film is more adept at conveying the joy and exhilaration felt by teenagers when they finally discover a band or musician whose lyrics reflect their own struggles. In a way, this story serves as a spot-on compare-contrast to my own life circa 1987, when I was an insecure 15 year-old in the American south who felt an uncanny kinship with English acts like The Cure, The Smiths, and New Order.

I will not go so far as to say that Bruce Springsteen is one of my own top 10 music artists, but I have gone through long stretches over the decades when albums like Nebraska and Born in the U.S.A. resonate with me on an intensely personal level. Most of us have times in our lives when we feel as though we are riders on a “Downbound Train”, and, in fact, I am disappointed that this particular song never comes into play during the narrative of Javed's misadventures. This film walks a fine line between being a comedy-drama and an outright musical, and is consequently weighed down by occasional contrivances, but it can be forgiven for the fact that the lead character's initial exposure to Springsteen is the opening verse to “Dancing in the Dark”, which seems to cater specifically to young adults and to the times in their lives when they are bouncing off the walls.

Funnily enough, I gravitate just as much to the songs, like Level 42's “Lessons in Love”, Cutting Crew's “(I Just) Died in Your Arms”, and Pet Shop Boys - “It's a Sin”, that are featured early in the film as representations of the blandness of Javed's world before he discovers a new favorite. I probably would have been on good terms with Javed's friend, Matt, who professes that synth pop is the wave of the future.

Be on the lookout for Hayley Atwell, who captured the hearts of Marvel fans across the world with her role as Peggy Carter in the Captain America films, as a writing teacher who senses the potential in our hero's poems.

[Member-275053]

Box Office: 'Blinded by the Light' Bombs, Adding to Warner Bros.' Bummer Summer

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...summer-1232832

[brooks101189]

This movie's trailer played during every movie I saw in theaters during the summer.

[CreasyBear]

Terrific movie. The very definition of a feel-good movie that doesn't treat the audience like morons. I loved it!

[Leonidas King]

It's unfortunate that is bombing. When you got a great uplifting film for people to watch, nobody goes to support it.

It only played in my local theater for what appears to be a week.

[Chaotic]

Originally Posted by JWFORD

Box Office: 'Blinded by the Light' Bombs, Adding to Warner Bros.' Bummer Summer

[Show spoiler]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...summer-1232832

Bummer is being generous. Even their biggest hit (Pikchu was a bit of a disappointment) and Annabelle made a lot less (domestically) than the others.

Then there is Sun is Also a Star, The Kitchen, Godzilla, Lego 2, Shaft

[HorrorBlu]

With Sun Is Also A Star going DVD only, Blinded By The Light had better get a blu-ray!

[Shingster]

This bombing in the states is no surprise, can't see there being a huge market in the US for films about Brit-Pakistani teenagers dreaming of a better life away from the glamorous town of Luton, I don't care how many Bruce Springsteen trappings you give it!

The Sun is Also a Star was completely buried here in the UK, limited natonwide rollout. Only one of my local cinemas screened it and only then for about 5 showings before they pulled it. Not that it actually deserved a wider release, pretty standard romantic fare.

[starman15317]

I really enjoyed this movie. I'm a big Bruce fan so I was already in, but the story is actually quite relatable. Not a perfect movie by any means, but quite enjoyable.

[SleazyForWeasley]

Seeing it tomorrow night, and am looking forward to it.

[charlieray1]

I enjoyed this, but IMO it wasn't nearly as good as it could have been. The odd mixture of Footlose type moments and racial drama just didn't work in the same movie. It made the first seem silly and the second unconvincing.

I give it credit for aiming high, but for me, it missed it's target. I gave it 3 stars, mostly because it's heart was in the right place. Mediocre at best.

[WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW]

awesome movie

saw it in Dolby too

[WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW]

but is it really true that it is getting no physical media release????

wth, was hoping for UHD! and now some day DVD at most???????

[Predatorix38417]

Originally Posted by WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW

but is it really true that it is getting no physical media release????

wth, was hoping for UHD! and now some day DVD at most???????

WB should at least release the blu-ray with an Atmos track (like the theatrical).

[Member-275053]

Originally Posted by WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW

but is it really true that it is getting no physical media release????

wth, was hoping for UHD! and now some day DVD at most???????

Hopefully, that's not true. I don't see how it could be.

[Chaotic]

Wouldn’t surprise me.

[imsounoriginal]

WB has given low-performing movies a DVD-only release before. I think they were behind that Zac Efron DJ movie from a couple of years ago.

[Chaotic]

And Sun is Also a Star only got a DVD