“I didn’t know music could be like that. Is a dream a lie if it doesn’t come true.”
The view on the world is somewhat bleak for a lot of people nowadays. Not the brightest outlook but it reigns true for many, so when a film comes along with aim to spread positivity it can come as a welcome surprise. Blinded by the Light is a movie that wishes to spread that positive outlook and focuses on the dreary, depressed town of Luton, of all places. Having grown up in Luton myself, my perception matches most people’s; it’s pretty bad. However, there is always a glimmer of sunlight no matter where you are. The movie itself is based on an autobiography named Greetings from Bury Park by journalist Sarfraz Manzoor and his upbringing as a Muslim teenager in 1980’s Luton. Despite it’s focus on racism and fascism in general, it also paints a picture of fulfilling your dreams and aspirations. As a Lutonian myself, I had to review it at some point. This is Gurinder Chadha’s screen adaption, Blinded by the Light.
The story is focused on the young teen Javed (Viveik Kalra), a young teenager living in the newer wave of Muslim life within England in the 80’s. Javed’s parent’s live like many Muslims, believing that their children should work in business driven workplaces and bringing honor to their family. Javed however does not wish to follow his parent’s wishes and aspires to be a writer. Javed has a British friend named Matt (Dean-Charles Chapman) who he’s known since childhood. Matt aspires to be a musician and they bond through their love of creativity. Javed attends Luton Sixth Form College where he realises his dreams can come to life thanks to his encouraging teacher Ms Clay (Hayley Atwell) and meets a Sikh boy named Roops (Aaron Phagura) who introduces him to the music of Bruce Springsteen. Javed’s life is changed as he becomes intoxicated in the lyrics of the American singer and he finds his passion strengthened. He also pursues a relationship with a young British girl named Eliza (Nell Williams) in which he becomes cautious of his traditionalist father’s (Kulvinder Ghir) watchful eye.
Blinded by the Light’s main message is about pursuing your dreams, regardless of what others may be telling you. Javed’s desire to become a creative writer despite his father’s apprehension and traditional beliefs is something that many can easily relate to. Teenagers rebelling against their parents is a trope as old as coming of age stories have existed but receives a slight twist when religion is thrown in. Javed’s dreams are echoed through constant narration, perfectly paralleling his creative mind as the words ring out. As is typical with most teen movies, his friends and that one authority figure are the ones to reinforce his aspirations. As Javed is stuck feeling like he is isolated by his family and the town of Luton, there are those that want to pull him out into the bright colorful world of imagination and expressionism. The message is pushed more and more with it’s portrayal of Luton feeling like a large prison, full of hatred and depression and a single light that beckons the main star forward.
Racism is always going to be a tough subject to portray, especially in a movie that wants the audience feeling happy and uplifted but this movie handles this in a very real and blunt way. For our hero to reach his peak, he must overcome the abuse that he can’t escape. The film uses Nazi-like imagery mixed with clear racial profanity and we see the main character left powerless due to his parents pushing the idea that he must simply stand down and stay quiet to fit within society’s image. There are scenes where they do push the message a bit too hard to the point of slight unrealism but it’s a message that still resonates with today’s world. For example, a scene that shows Javed and Roops having food at a restaurant only to be kicked out by a group of racists ends with them shouting back Springsteen lyrics and the whole restaurant clapping at their bravery, it’s a little exaggerated but the film is very forward as a whole so it fits within the context. The scene that makes the message clear as ever is the scene where Javed’s family are attending Javed’s sister’s wedding and Javed has disappeared to buy Springsteen tickets. His family run into a racists march and his father is attacked left bloody and beaten, Javed’s girlfriend Eliza is there to help him but Javed arrives too late. This imagery is still representative of the hatred that rings through today, it’s perfectly blunt and doesn’t shy away.
You can’t talk about this film without mentioning the use of Bruce Springsteen’s iconic music, it’s in the title after all. Regardless of my own opinion on Springsteen’s music it is given a new life and meaning with Javed’s life. Javed is able to make parallels to his own life within the songs, comparing Bruce’s desire to escape from his home town and broaden his horizons into the world of music is perfectly fitting of Javed wanting to escape from Luton. These messages are enhanced by the lyrics appearing around Javed’s surroundings in physical form, it cements his feelings and continues to connect to Javed’s life. Javed also devotes a religious passion for the singer, sharing the love with his friend who got him into Bruce and introducing the songs to his girlfriend. Javed continues to open everyone’s minds to the music, even a whole market full of people dance and sing to the music in an, admittedly, cheesy sequence but still knuckles down on the feel-good tone of the movie. While it does provide a brief wedge in the friendship of Javed and Matt the happiness and excitement of the characters is contagious and you can’t help but feel that joyous presence.
Blinded by the Light isn’t just a movie that could teach the people of Luton about acceptance and to encourage you to escape, but it can easily resonate with anyone who wants to beat out bigotry and to not back down from your dreams. Too much of the media of the world is focused on all the negative aspects and makes a person feel more depressed. Blinded by the Light tackles the still very relevant issue of racism while also telling it’s audience that there is still a light out there that can either distract from the sadness or will encourage you to change it. This movie certainly resonates with myself. The most obvious comparison is that the film is set and filmed in Luton, everyone who has ever lived in the town will tell you they want to get out or that the town is going to hell. However it can easily relate to anyone who feels as if their going nowhere, it encourages above all else and the biggest take away I got out of it was to follow your dreams but to also remember where your roots are. Even if the message is to escape, it gave Luton a bit of positive publicity for once. Please check this movie out.
Side note: I couldn’t stop pointing out filming locations. This is my only major problem.
Written review by C. Johnson.