‘Blinded By The Light’ showcases the power of music

Posted on August 23, 2019

By MARK VIOLA

If you’re a fan of music, or more specifically movies about music, the last year has given you some great options, including 2018’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and this year’s “Rocketman” and “Yesterday.”

One thing those films all had in common is they explore the effect of music and resulting fame on the performers. The new movie, “Blinded by the Light,” looks at the opposite: how the music affects those listening to it.

While I’ve seen several comparisons between “Blinded by the Light” and “Yesterday,” I think a more apt comparison would be a slightly older film, 2016’s “Sing Street,” one of my favorite movies of that year. Both are set in 1980s Great Britain and both follow teenagers seeking an escape from the financial and familial struggles in which they find themselves and the outlet they discover through their interactions with music.

In the case of “Blinded by the Light,” the story follows Javed (“Viveik Kalra, “Next of Kin”), the son of Pakistani immigrants stuck between his economically-challenged and increasingly racist community and his very traditional father who believes it is not only his right but his responsibility to make all of his family’s decisions.

Then a friend introduces Javed to the music of Bruce Springsteen, and he finds a kinship to the New Jersey-born singer through his lyrics, giving him a jolt of both confidence and rebelliousness to attempt to carve his own path.

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