Blinded By the Light
for thematic material and language including some ethnic slurs.
| Moral Rating: | Caution |
| Moviemaking Quality: |
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| Primary Audience: | • Teens • Young-Adults • Adults |
| Genre: | Comedy Music Drama |
| Length: | 1 hr. 57 min. |
| Year of Release: | 2019 |
| USA Release: |
January 27, 2019 (Sundance festival) August 16, 2019 (wide—2,307 theaters) DVD: November 19, 2019 |
Feeling alienation
Coming of age
Teenage rebellion
Friend who is a punk rocker
Avoiding selfishness and what develops from it
Parents who frequently argue about money and work
Apparent cultural divide been a young person and his parents
Feeling like your parents are stuck in another century
Lying to parents
Son disowning his father
Children and parents that build walls between each other… instead of bridges
Reconciling with parents—and children with parents
Forgiveness
God’s command to obey and honor one’s parents
Lovingly fighting to keep family ties strong
For a follower of Christ, what is LOVE—a feeling, an emotion, or an action? Answer
Seeking true wisdom, goodness and righteousness
Difficulties of living in a different culture
British-Pakistani Muslim community and culture
Arranged marriages
Forbidden love
Attacks Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s politics and actions
Depiction of political activism
Portrays nationalists as bad, racist, skinheads, bigots, mean, dangerous… and white.
Personally identifying with the emotions and lyrics of a songwriter
How music can lift the human spirit
Music in the Bible
Finding hope
Dealing wisely and righteously with hate, personal emotional anger and frustration
How far is TOO FAR? What are the guidelines for dating relationships? Answer
PURITY—Should I save sex for marriage? Answer
SEXUAL LUST outside of marriage—Why does God strongly warn us about it? Answer
What is SEXUAL IMMORALITY? Answer
What are the CONSEQUENCES of sexual immorality? Answer
| Featuring |
Viveik Kalra … Javed Hayley Atwell … Ms Clay Rob Brydon … Matt's Dad Kulvinder Ghir … Malik Nell Williams … Eliza Dean-Charles Chapman … Estate Agent Aaron Phagura … Roops Meera Ganatra … Noor Jonno Davies … Michael (Estate Agent) Sally Phillips … Mrs. Anderson See all » |
| Director |
Gurinder Chadha |
| Producer |
Bend It Films [Great Britain] Ingenious Media [Great Britain] See all » |
| Distributor |
 Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company |
Description based on synopsis supplied by distributor: In 1987, during the days of Thatcher’s Britain, a teenager learns to live life, understand his family and find his own voice through the music of Bruce Springsteen. The title is from a 1973 Springsteen song. Set in the town of Luton, the film tells the coming-of-age story of Javed, a British-Pakistani Muslim teenager whose life is changed after he discovers Springsteen music. He writes poetry as a means to escape the intolerance of his hometown and the inflexibility of his traditional father. When a classmate introduces him to the music of “The Boss,” Javed sees parallels to his working-class life in Springsteen’s lyrics. As Javed discovers a cathartic outlet for his own pent-up dreams, he also begins to find the courage to express himself in his own unique voice.
This film is based on journalist Sarfraz Manzoor’s memoir Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock N’ Roll.
- Sex: • making out in public and private (repeatedly) • apparent fornication • kissing
- Violence: • man beaten • skinheads acting out against those they hate • angry racism depicted (whites against Pakistanis) • rough political march
- Vulgar/Crude language: • s-words (several) • cr*p (several) • p*ssed • w*nker • pl*nker • frickin’ • bloody • prat
- Profane language: • J*sus (1) • G*d (3)
- Nudity: • cleavage • young man wears only boxers • nude statue of male
See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.
I took my wife as we hadn’t seen a movie in months due to the dearth of quality films, and was hoping it was a sleeper, but, in the end, just another mediocre movie.
Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3½