A ray of light in dark times.

As times, tastes, and attitudes change, it’s easy to forget the impact Bend It Like Beckham had. To both the British film industry and the country as a whole, the film was a breath of fresh air and an honest, vital portrayal of race, culture, and gender that helped alter perceptions like never before.

Smashing stereotypes left, right, and centre, director Gurinder Chadha shone a light on the British-Asian experience like few filmmakers before her. Despite its modest budget and low-key scope, Bend It Like Beckham was a cultural phenomenon that broke down barriers and showcased a very British culture clash in a fresh and utterly unique way.

Of course, filtering such a complex subject through something as popular and universal as football helped hugely in conveying the issues to a mass audience and, in doing so, allowed the film’s influence to resonate even to this day. Yet, seventeen years is a long time in anyone’s book, so can Gurinder Chadha recapture that magic and strike a chord once again with Blinded by the Light?

Amidst the racial and economic turmoil of 80s Britain, British-Pakistani teen Javed (Viveik Kalra) uses poetry to escape the intolerances of his hometown and the stubbornness of his conservative father. With the toxic bigotry of Luton closing in and the suffocating inflexibility of his father threatening to stifle his dreams, Javed finds strength to fight back when introduced to the music of The Boss. Discovering parallels between his struggles and Bruce Springsteen’s powerful lyrics, Javed finds a cathartic outlet for his pent-up frustrations, finally discovering a way to express himself and face down the injustice around him.

Despite his overtly American style and demeanour, the heart of Bruce Springsteen’s genius was always in his broad, universal appeal. Often written off as clichéd, corny Americana, Springsteen’s lyrical approach cuts far deeper than many give it credit for and it’s in these depths that Blinded by the Light finds the inspiration to shine.

His overarching message of social injustice and tales of working-class struggle may centre largely on his world and his New Jersey background, yet the relevance of his words travels far wider than that. Both overtly political and deeply personal, The Boss’ deceptively poignant lyrics managed to cut across borders to bring him success and relevance on a global scale.

Transfer all of this to a second generation immigrant teenager living in late-80s Luton and you’ve got yourself a cultural cocktail that, while initially awkward, blooms into a potent, touching tale of struggle, social injustice, and bigotry that not only strikes a chord as a period piece, but finds itself to be far more relevant to today’s climate than it really should.

Landing somewhere between a jukebox musical, broad comedy, and a socio-political drama, Blinded by the Light cleverly interweaves an array of Springsteen songs into a coming-of-age tale of a British-Asian teenager without ever losing the meaning or relevance of either. It’s not an easy trick to pull off but director Gurinder Chadha harnesses the inherent message of Springsteen’s words to inform Javed’s story in a dynamic way that not only informs the narrative but allows the music to shine.

With an approach that’s far more organic than recent jukebox musicals, Yesterday and Rocketman, Blinded by the Light shares both movie’s celebratory stance towards its music, yet the way it integrates the tunes into the narrative never tips over into novelty. The result is a stripped back story that certainly has its musical extravagances but is refreshingly devoid of the usual Hollywood bombast associated with the genre.

It’s an earthy, grounded approach that The Boss himself would be proud of, yet the appearance of a great many of Springsteen’s greatest hits should satisfy those fans looking for an all-out celebration of his music. For everyone else, including those a little more ambivalent towards Springsteen’s work, Blinded by the Light offers a story of depth and social relevancy without forgetting its need to entertain.

Even before Javed’s eyes (and ears) are opened to The Boss, music is an integral part of Blinded by the Light’s approach. From the touching lyricism of Javed’s poetry laid over the top of A.R. Rahman’s stirring score, to the string of 80s pop hits from the likes of a-ha and Pet Shop Boys, the film may initially hold back on its Springsteen love-in but, in the man time, it does a fine job of setting the mood and tone.

Music is obviously important for what Gurinder Chadha is building, but as fun as it is to be treated to the sounds of the 80s, it’s only until Javed sticks ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ into his Walkman and ‘Dancing in the Dark’ hits, that things really start to rock. As the catalyst for change in Javed’s life, it feels entirely appropriate that Springsteen’s music does the same for the film itself.

Of course, Blinded by the Light is an unabashed love letter to Bruce Springsteen, yet it’s also an ode to the power and importance of music to us all. It may sound a little hackneyed – and indeed there are times when the film skirts close to being just that – but, regardless of our cultural background or social standing, music holds the key to empower us in ways that few other mediums can, to bring us together and inspire us to reach higher and further than we think possible.

It‘s a simple, well-worn message but an important one and Chadha imparts it by taking a lead from Bend It Like Beckham, portraying music as the same mythical, unifying force as football. Much like her breakthrough hit, Chadha uses Blinded by the Light as a tribute to teenage life, perfectly capturing the buzz of listening to that life-altering band for the first time and the wave of obsession that follows, something that tends to dwindle as the years catch up with you.

The concept of having two different people from two very different backgrounds brought together by a shared social struggle and the unifying power of music is a simple but effective one. Bury Park and Asbury Park may be miles apart geographically, but the moment Springsteen’s music connects with Javed, they appear tethered to one another, as socially conscious, working class lyrics and the teen’s struggles combine in a frenzy of inspiration and passion.

As a reflection of 80s Britain, Blinded by the Light certainly plays things broad, yet it never shies away from the harsh realities of a second-generation Pakistani immigrant growing up in an era where groups like the National Front were gaining prominence. Despite the fun, feel-good approach, Chadha makes sure to inject a certain level of realism into Javed’s life, with shocking, racist graffiti splashed across the walls of his neighbourhood and his family feeling the pinch of Thatcher’s austere Britain.

It’s a picture that feels unnervingly familiar to a contemporary eye and, like any times of hardship and intolerance, a means of escape is crucial. To this end, Javed’s Britain and the soundtrack work in tandem, as the singer’s words distil the protagonist’s problems, while the energy and rousing nature of the music spur him to push back on them.

Around this, the plot is often loose and unfocused, especially in the opening act; however, once the film finds its rhythm, things really start to sing. The narrative is far from nuanced, but this is all part of Blinded by the Light’s charm, as its low-key sensibilities, relevance, and sweet, heart-felt poignancy shine through.

The writing itself is as broad as they come and, at times, so on-the-nose it hurts, but it makes up for it with heart and charm to spare. Often appearing like a stage musical (which I’m sure it will be some day), the risk that it just wouldn’t work as movie was very real, yet, grounding it all in historical moments like Thatcher, workers strikes, and NF marches lends Blinded by the Light the requisite gravitas to warrant its place on the big screen.

Playing a crucial role in selling what is a tricky concept, the film’s cast may not have much in the way of star power, yet everyone pulls together to make it work. In an ensemble comprised largely of unknowns, young Viveik Kalra does a great job leading the line and, while he starts off a ball of nerves, he steadily grows into the role as Javed, eventually grabbing the film and making it his.

Ably supporting him are names like Hayley Atwell and Rob Brydon, but it’s the lesser known faces that steal the show, with Kulvinder Ghir, in particular, turning in a stellar performance as Javed’s staunch father. It’s his chemistry with Kalra that forms the emotional foundation of the movie and offers a father-son relationship with far more heart and depth than one might initially expect.

To get this level of performance from a largely young, unseasoned cast is no mean feat, yet Gurinder Chadha clearly knows how to optimise the raw talent at her disposal. As with Keira Knightly and Parminder Nagra seventeen years previous, Chadha harnesses the youthful energy of her cast and expertly deploys it to make the film and its message tick.

Although based on the memoirs of journalist and broadcaster Sarfraz Manzoor, there’s clearly a deeply personal connection between Chadha and the story. By making the film not only about the very specific teenage passions and struggles of Javed, but about the wider notion of immigration, cultural and social assimilation, and the desire to belong, Chadha has crafted a story, not unlike a track from The Boss himself, that feels both painfully personal and utterly universal.

Saccharine, uneven, and awkwardly on-the-nose though it may be, Blinded by the Light rises above its foibles to become something so unashamedly joyous and unexpectedly poignant that it’s impossible to resist. Pitching her film somewhere between a coming-of-age comedy, social drama, and an all-out musical, Gurinder Chadha traverses each genre nimbly. Sure, there have been far slicker likeminded movies of late, but few have had a bigger heart. Much like Yesterday and Rocketman, Blinded by the Light is an unashamed love letter to the mythical rock star at its heart, yet it’s not afraid to take things deeper when necessary. It’s a brave move to ground such a broad musical in all-too relevant real-world problems, but by filtering Javed’s problems through the words and music of Bruce Springsteen, Chadha has hit a cultural nerve once again with a gleeful ode to music and passion that will hopefully spark the fire in all of us.