Based on true events (in a co-screenwriter’s life), this story, in broad strokes, is a familiar one about a young person (in this case, a 16-year-old boy) who is inspired by music to escape the confines of family expectations and small town living. In this variation on a theme, the time period is the late 1980s, the boy and his family are from Pakistan, the town is somewhere north of London, and racism and economic hardship are, unfortunately, parts of the landscape. However, our protagonist’s imagination has been turbo charged when he first is introduced to the music of Bruce Springsteen. While the story pulls at the heart-strings in obvious fashion, it has charm. Decent feel-good film and, of course, a terrific soundtrack of Springsteen’s greatest songs.
