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Movie Scene: ‘Blinded By The Light’ Worth A Look


Viveik Kalra in “Blinded by the Light.”

“Blinded by the Light” (117 min, Rated PG-13 for language and thematic material). Rating: 8 out of 10.

“Blinded by the Light” is an uplifting comedy-drama set in 1987, in Luton, England, where a teenage Pakistani lad, born in Pakistan, but raised by his parents in England, fights for self-identity on the doorstep of adulthood. Oppressed by an inflexible father who demands that his son follow Pakistani traditions and not give in to Western values, causes the son to revolt and seek other measures to free himself from these bonds imposed upon him. Based on a true story written in a book by Sarfraz Manzoor called “Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock N’ Roll,” co-producer, co-screenwriter and director Gurinder Chadha presents an inspiring coming-of-age story about a young man who finds his avenue to self-identity through the music of Bruce Springsteen.

This film has been playing the film festival circuit since Sundance (January 2019) and is finally making its theatrical release. It takes place at a time in Luton, not far from London, where minority populations have grouped, but face stiff prejudice from the British ruling classes that discriminate against them. Every country has at some point in their history encountered this as immigrants try to assimilate themselves into a society that put up barriers or walls, create laws to suppress and belittle them. Though that is the unfortunate backdrop to this story, and at a time of racial and economic turmoil in England, the Pakistani enclave feels they must stick to their traditional ways and ride it out, or be stepped on by the whites.

Within this societal turmoil is the cultural clash between whites and Pakistanis that the father staunchly resists, instilling his beliefs into his son to preserve the sanctity of their people. But Javed (Niveik Kalra), only 17, has become an emancipated British lad who wants to break the shackles of his father’s Muslim ways. He wants to establish his own beliefs. Javed loves his father — and mother, too — but he has no future in the modern world under the thumb of his father’s strict rules. With so much upheaval taking place in England under Margaret Thatcher’s rule, it only piles on the pressure for underprivileged youngsters to make something of themselves.

The big twist in all this is that Javed finds his outlet when he discovers Bruce Springsteen’s music. The Boss reached monumental heights with his “Born in the USA” album, and with that song and others like “Born to Run,” “Dancing in the Dark,” “Thunder Road,” and many others, it supplies Javed with a roadmap to individuality, subscribing to the dreams and reality captured in Springsteen’s songs, speaking to the common folk to find their own voice and light a spark to take steps in life that best suit you — and not take any guff from oppressors, but rise up against intolerance and stand up for yourself. When Javed’s father finds out his son is being inspired by Springsteen’s music as a catalyst to break free, it causes massive internal family strife.

What is so enjoyable about “Blinded by the Light” is the artistically creative way the songs are presented in the film, often with the lyrics appearing on the screen to emphasize that particular moment in the story and its meaningfulness to Javed. With other friends, mostly Brit whites, understanding the difficulty he is having at home, it all comes together at the end with tender, poignant reconciliation. The accomplishment of self-empowerment is satisfying in bringing clarity to a story riddled with racial and cultural prejudice. It’s a win for the youth who deserve the chance to make their own mark and not bend to prescribed traditions, but to blend them, honor and respect them, but seek what is meaningful to you.

“The Nightingale” (136 min, Rated R for brutal violence, disturbing content including rape, language and brief sexuality). Rating: 7 out of 10.

If not for three minutes, “The Nightingale” wouldn’t be receiving so much attention, if not controversy, for some disturbing scenes involving rape and murder. Had it been toned down some, it still could have served the outcome of the film and its messages against racial prejudice of the native inhabitants in Australia and Tasmania in the early 1800s by British colonists. As a period-piece drama, such horrid acts of treatment against the indigenous people of these lands should be admonished — and its graphic presentation here could scare some people from seeing the film.

Co-producer, screenwriter and director Jennifer Ken is to be congratulated for presenting such a challenging story, an uncompromising view of extreme prejudice of British rule in Australia — with this story taking place on the nearby island of Tasmania, 1825. It’s a frightening view of horrible hostilities waged against the Aborigines — called “Blacks” by their oppressors — at a time when Britain was overtaking the lands and systematically cleansing the area of them with extreme measures. Caught up in this hostile environment is Claire (Aisling Franciosi), a 21-year-old Irish immigrant abandoned as a child, now regarded as a convict. She’s already served seven years, but her abusive master, Lt. Hawkins (Sam Claflin) refuses to release her — and instead abuses her. Claire has a husband and a baby whom Hawkins has killed, believing Claire will simply vanish into the wilderness as he leaves for a new post to the north.

Wrong! Claire pulls herself together and with a young Aboriginal tracker, Bill (Baykali Ganambarr) and follows his trail with intentions of enacting justice for the murder of her husband and child. The persona of Claire goes from meek and mild in the early scenes, bending to Hawkins’ will, then with rage and hate with vengeance in her heart. With most of the scenes taking place in the rugged terrain on this primitive jungle island, the film has an authentic look to it. Along this journey of redemption and retribution, Claire and Billy, opposites in all senses, become allies against a common foe, bonding the gap between their cultures. She’s brilliant in her role — and so is Billy…both delivering stellar performances. Claflin is so evil and vile, it’s hard to describe how despicably inhuman he is. At 136-minutes, the film is easily 20-minutes too long with tack-on endings that finally ends with a surrealistic, almost existential feeling. This is a raw and brutal depiction of difficult times, weighing heavily on the cost of revenge.

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