Telluride Film Festival Review: ‘Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere’ is a Stunning Look Inside the Soul of An Artist Struggling with Depression

Depression can cripple a person. It’s also something any of us can struggle with, whether it’s clinical and consistent, or time to time. Having the ability to talk about it and overcome it is what matters, and that is a more recent occurrence in society. That even someone like Bruce Springsteen can suffer from devastating depression at the heights of success speaks to its universality. It also provides the backbone for Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, a meditative and stunning musical biopic that’s one of the best films of the year, let alone the Telluride Film Festival (where it kicked off the fest with its world premiere), as well as, in its climax, one of the most important. The Boss’ story has the potential to save lives.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere takes one Springsteen’s darkest and most formative moments, as well as a period of creative inflection, and crafts a portrait that’s deliberate, solemn, and positively captivating. It would have been easy, if reductive, to make a traditional biopic here. Instead, we have a moment in time that’s almost like an internal chamber piece, as Springsteen not only struggles with his demons, but struggles to even understand them, let alone fight them. Even knowing that he’ll find a light at the end of the tunnel, given how he’s thriving to this day, takes nothing away from the emotion and pain that you feel for his suffering. The acting, filmmaking, and soul of this movie all combine to take your breath away.

After a brief introduction to The Boss as a child, where Adele Springsteen (Gaby Hoffman) sends her young son into a bar to retrieve his father Douglas Springsteen (Stephen Graham), we fast forward to 1981. There, Bruce Springsteen (Jeremy Allen White) is closing out The River tour at the Cincinnati Coliseum with a rendition of “Born to Run” that brings the house down. From there, it’s home to New Jersey, where he’s rented a home in Colts Neck to figure out what’s next. His manager and confidant Jon Landau (Jeremy Strong) hears from the record label that they can’t wait for another hit album, though Bruce isn’t thinking along those lines, wanting instead to slow down. Being in Jersey has him thinking about the painful memories of his past, mainly with his father, and how his dad’s struggles may be unavoidable for himself. He also finds himself connecting with his early music days at The Stone Pony, where he meets single mother Faye (Odessa Young), though her affection only gives him temporary solace. It’s while adrift at home that he finds Badlands on television and becomes intrigued by the Charles Starkweather murder spree. That darkness and guilt gets him writing music, at first just on a whim, but then with a purpose.

Setting up shop in his bedroom and working only with guitar tech Mike Batlan (Paul Walter Hauser) on basic equipment, he begins recording the demos for what will become Nebraska. Going into the studio, the band working on these songs doesn’t feel right to Bruce, leading him to scrap any of the rock songs, including Born in the USA. Jon supports Bruce when he decides to master the demos, despite how comparatively accidental they sound, but he admits to not understanding what his friend is going through. His concern rises and his protective instincts increase not just when the record company is aghast at what they’re expected to release, but also at how it seems like Bruce is suffering in a way he can’t help with. As Bruce sinks deeper into what’s clearly depression, he pushes away Faye, deals with the past and present of his father, and wonders what the world has left for him. Ultimately, it’s only when he asks for help at his lowest that a path forward emerges, one that in short order would make him one of history’s biggest and best rock and roll artists.

Jeremy Allen White becomes The Boss here in a way that’s beyond appearance. He’s capturing the feel of Bruce Springsteen, especially at his most human and vulnerable moments. There’s a natural quality to the performance that gets at the deeper truth of the man. White does his own singing and is spectacular there, finding the soul of Springsteen instead of simply imitating. It’s a stunning turn and the best work of his career so far. A nomination for Best Actor at the Academy Awards is more than deserved. Jeremy Strong is excellent playing Jon Landau, capturing the dedication and warmth of the man. Strong has some quiet moments where he really shines, never overdoing it. Odessa Young brings pluck and spunk to the love interest role, generating a different vibe out of White and making their scenes together stand out as different from the rest in the film. Gaby Hoffman doesn’t have too much to do as Bruce’s mom, though she captures the heart of the woman who taught him to love dancing and music. Then, there’s Stephen Graham, who intensely shows the depression that Douglas suffered through his whole life, leading to an only in later years diagnosed mental illness. His later scenes, where he’s reflecting on the harm he may have caused to his son, as well as the pride he has in Bruce, is heart-wrenching. Paul Walter Hauser is very amusing as the technician who first got to hear these songs. Supporting players include Grace Gummer, David Krumholtz, Marc Maron, and Matthew Anthony Pellicano Jr. as young Bruce, plus many more.

Filmmaker Scott Cooper does the best work of his career adapting the Warren Zanes book Deliver Me From Nowhere. Cooper’s direction has never been this assured or steady, while his script avoids nearly all of the biopic cliches. He makes this an intelligent and evocative tale, only once showing you Bruce Springsteen the rock and roll god, but when he does, boy does your heart soar. It’s in how he captures a lost man that really knocks your socks off. It’s truly stunning filmmaking, getting in under two hours to tell a tale that gives you a fuller understanding of a legend.

Again, this is not your traditional musical biopic. It is very much about one moment in Bruce Springsteen’s story, albeit one that would have a lasting impact. Where it begins and where it ends are not where your average movie of this ilk would do so. That’s part of the genius here, too, as is the non-preachy way in which is begs anyone in need of help to be strong enough to ask for it. Every scene that could have been a movie of the week is instead understated, only deepening the emotional impact. I was sobbing uncontrollably at times.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is one of the best works I’ll see in 2025, hands down, as well as sure to be a crowning achievement for Telluride this year. It’s stunning and an absolute home run. Whether you love The Boss or not, this will give you an entranceway into his soul. We always seek to understand artists, and especially celebrity ones, and Bruce is letting you in here, with Jeremy Allen White as his vessel. I’m still in shock by how amazing this flick is. It’s just brilliantly done. Bravo.

SCORE: ★★★★