Blinded by the Light
13/08/19 Filed in: Cinema
Continuing the run of musically inspired dramas, this time it's Bruce Springsteen's music that provides the impetus for the story.
Set in Luton in 1987 we first see Javed, or Jay, as a child with his friend Matt, the M1 providing the backdrop. Next we see him as a young man and not at all happy with his life. He hasn't a girlfriend, while Matt flaunts his latest catch. But more depressingly his family is from Pakistan and his father is a strict adherent to tradition, which means that Jay has little freedom and is told by his father how he should lead his life.
College gives him his first taste of freedom; and girls. It's there that he is befriended by a young Sikh who introduces him to the music and lyrics of Bruce Springsteen. Jay finds that the words of Springsteen's songs explain the predicaments of his life and offer him a way out. Jay has always enjoyed writing, keeping a diary from a young age, and at college he indicates that he would like to be a writer when the English teacher, Ms Clay, asks her new class the question. He quickly lowers his raised hand when he sees that he's alone, but Ms Clay doesn't let it go, and when class breaks she talks to him about his ambition. Another student is listening, and this is Jay's first introduction to Eliza, who will soon become an important part of his life.
I found the film interesting for its portrayal of Thatcher's Britain, with Eliza being a leading figure in a student movement rebelling against Thatcher's policies. Her parents, on the other hand, are staunch Tories, and don't disguise their prejudices when Eliza brings Jay home. It is also interesting in its portrayal of the life of Pakistanis in what was, and unfortunately still is, a country that exhibits more than its fair share of racism. The dignity exhibited by these people in the face of such abuse is quite remarkable.
When Jay's father loses his job at the Vauxhall factory after working there for 16 years, Jay's life becomes even more anguished. His mother is working day and night at home as a seamstress to bring in a little money and Jay's hope of a writing career seems to be diminishing. But a series of events, helped greatly by Ms Clay, opens doors for Jay. But his father doesn't make things easy, causing Jay eventually to go against his wishes. This is a big deal in a traditional Pakistani family.
The film moves along to the accompaniment of Springsteen's music with lyric extracts being flashed onto the screen appropriately linking to Jay's life experiences and his angst. It's an easy film to watch and uses humour to good effect. Reviews have been mixed but I sometimes feel that the critics seek out things to criticise. For me there's not a lot wrong with this film.
When Jay's father loses his job at the Vauxhall factory after working there for 16 years, Jay's life becomes even more anguished. His mother is working day and night at home as a seamstress to bring in a little money and Jay's hope of a writing career seems to be diminishing. But a series of events, helped greatly by Ms Clay, opens doors for Jay. But his father doesn't make things easy, causing Jay eventually to go against his wishes. This is a big deal in a traditional Pakistani family.
The film moves along to the accompaniment of Springsteen's music with lyric extracts being flashed onto the screen appropriately linking to Jay's life experiences and his angst. It's an easy film to watch and uses humour to good effect. Reviews have been mixed but I sometimes feel that the critics seek out things to criticise. For me there's not a lot wrong with this film.