Blinded by the Light

 Blinded by the Light 2019

• Director: Gurinder Chadha
• Seen by this director: Paris je t’aime, Bend It Like Beckham,
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Viveik Kalra, Dean-Charles Chapman, Kit Reeve, David Hayman, Kulvinder Ghir, Nikita Mehta, Rob Brydon, Meera Ganatra, Lorraine Ashbourne, Frankie Fox, Nell Williams, Aaron Phagura, Hayley Atwell
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Dean-Charles Chapman – 1917, Breathe, Before I Go to Sleep
• David Hayman – Fisherman’s Friends, London Spy, Macbeth, The Hollow Crown, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Flood, My Name Is Joe, The Boxer, Smilla’s Sense of Snow, Rob Roy, Sid and Nancy
• Kulvinder Ghir – Bend It Like Beckham, Curry Nam Nam
• Nikita Mehta – Curry Nam Nam
• Rob Brydon – Cinderella, Extras, Little Britain, Tristram Shandy, Shaun of the Dead, Black Books, 24 Hour Party People, Cold Lazarus
• Lorraine Ashbourne - A Street Cat Named Bob, Breathe, Unforgotten, Adult Life Skills, London Spy, Fever Pitch
• Aaron Phagura – Doctor Who, Unforgotten
• Hayley Atwell – Cinderella, Testament of Youth, Pillars of the Earth, Doctor Who
• Why? Well, it’s Bruce, isn’t it?
• Seen: 1 October 2021.      

       1987. Luton. Sixteen-year-old Javed (Kalra) writes songs about nuclear war and Thatcher. He has very strict Pakistani parents. He longs to leave Luton.     

       At school he meets radical classmate Eliza (Reeve), supportive English teach Ms Clay (Atwell). And Bruce Springsteen via classmate Roops (Phagura).

       He’s already acquainted with racism, unemployment and the family’s economic struggles. Bruce’s lyrics knock him off his feet.

       Yep. Straight to the heart. I know the feeling.

       It turns into a quasi-musical which doesn’t quite work but it’s clever and gripping and sweet. And the music is forever – since 1987 or so – in my heart. So I’m not completely objective.

       Oh yes, Kalra as Javed is very appealing. 

4 * of 5