In the end, it manages to make some real statements about intolerance and the power of the written word. The result is a two-hour diversion that is both honest and charming if short on surprises.
However, it is the darker and very real shades of prejudice that separate this from classic teen fare. Teenage angst has long been explored, and there is a distinctly John Hughes quality to much of the film. There is nothing complicated or deep about his struggle. In addition to the title song, the film includes various versions of “I’ll Stand by You,” “Dancing in the Dark ,” “Badlands,” “Hungry Heart,” “Born to Run,” “Thunder Road” and “The River,” among others.Īt heart, “Blinded by the Light” is the story of a young man trying to find his identity. The songs are integrated throughout the film - sometimes as background, other times as actual numbers sung by the characters and occasionally shown through the lyrics circling in and out of Javed’s head. Introduced to the work of “The Boss” by a Sikh “dude,” Roops (an easygoing Aaron Phagura), Javed finds that Springsteen’s ideas speak directly to him. His hope is that Javed will go into a real profession - doctor, lawyer, accountant - and is appalled and angered by Javed’s more esoteric hopes. Early in the film, Malik loses his factory job, sending the family into a financial tailspin.
His dreams are kept at bay by his very traditional father, Malik (Kulvinder Ghir). Javed, who began keeping a diary at age 10, writes poetry as well as lyrics. Incidents involving the neo-Nazi National Front as well as the damage of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s economic polices are very much present in his day-to-day life. Growing up in Luton, England, Javed lives in a world plagued by racism, both small and large. The result is a mix of comedy, drama, fantasy and an unusual approach to the musical. And yet, it is “inspired by a true story.” “Blinded the Light” is based on Sarfraz Manzoor’s memoir, “Greetings from Bury Park.” Manzoor co-wrote the screen play with director Gurinder Chadha and Paul Maydea Berges. Javed rejects the music of his own generation for the earlier work of the New Jersey native. In 1987, 16-year-old Pakistani Javed Kahn (Viveik Kalra) finds solace and encouragement in the words and music of Bruce Springsteen.
0 kommentar(er)
