Joey Magidson
Editing any kind of a feature film is tough work. You have to navigate the flow of the movie itself, the wishes of the director, and all be in concert at the same time. When an editor does exceptional work, it often goes unnoticed. So, while Pamela Martin has two Academy Award nominations for Best Film Editing under her belt, it’s her industry longevity that speaks to her talents. Recently, I hopped on Zoom to talk with her about her latest project, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. Today, our conversation comes your way.
Back at the Telluride Film Festival, I fell in love with this movie. This here is some of what I said in my rave review:
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.
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.
Below, you can hear my conversation with Martin. The two time Oscar nominee (for The Fighter and King Richard) is very open about her process, even sharing the original running time for Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, as well as where some of the cuts were made. Her thoughts on film, how she goes about her job, and everything in between, makes for a really fascinating discussion, one that I really enjoyed. I maintain that Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is among the very best movies of the year, so if you haven’t given it a chance yet, let Martin and I convince you over the course of nearly a half hour back and forth…
Here now is my interview with Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere editor Pamela Martin. Enjoy:
Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is now playing in theaters!
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