Blinded by the Light

Blinded by the light is a film set in the 1980s about a Pakistani teenager named Javed in England who is inspired by the music of Bruce Springsteen. His father is very traditional and the town he lives in is very racially intolerant. Javed is a writer, he loves poetry and he wants to pursue writing as a career. The music changes his life in an instant and draws him to make connections to his own life. He feels like the music speaks to him for the first time. I was actually really impressed with this film. It was something I went into with very low expectations and was blown away. It was really easy to connect to. I think it really hit it out of the park with how he felt like an outsider and how the music made him feel like someone understood him. It was as if the music was speaking to him specifically, and you feel that. This film really went under the radar and wasn’t very popular at the box office. In fact the summer release was basically overlooked by the mega successful list of films released simultaneously.




It’s a heartwarming, feel good kind of story. The film centers around a not very original concept however, it seems to have its own spin on the repetitive theme. It also tends to be quite predictable at times. The film highlights an interesting perspective on the branch between culture and ambitions. It makes you think about how restrictive biases and traditions can be to a person or group of people. He wants to follow his dreams but doesn’t want to put a strain on his relationship with his family, especially his father. I think what they really did well is that you didn’t need to come from a traditional home to connect to it. I think they made it so that there was a part of you that could connect to Javed and feel how he feels somehow. I like that even though the film takes place in the 1980s, it is still applicable to today and the issues in society we still have.




Something I was surprised about was the film’s use of cinematography. For a film I didn’t have high expectations for it sure was interesting to see how well done this aspect of the film was. The lighting and colouring is pretty much consistent throughout the whole film. But what really stands out is these creative shot types, I don’t think the average director would think of. Scenes where they use the song, they would have the lyrics being projected or moving around the screen. This was really creative especially when he was discovering the music of Bruce Springsteen. I think with the story being as straightforward as it is, the cinematography really stands out above all.

Overall, it is not a bad film and deserved better attention at the box office than it received. It was well done and I think really overlooked for what it was. I suggest watching the film as it does shine a light on key issues in society in regards to battling adversity. Showing how people need to overlook prejudices they hold against others who come from different backgrounds. The film itself is quite enjoyable and entails a heartwarming story of a guy finding his way in the world.