The genre of the musical biopic is one that, as Timothee Chalamet acknowledged while accepting a Sag award for playing Bob Dylan earlier this year, could be perhaps tired. The beats of the genre the initial obstacles, the double-edged sword of success, the actors' pursuit of industry awards for spirited impersonation are by now so familiar that you're almost expected to enter with more than a bit of skepticism, even when the artist at hand is one as widely beloved as Bruce Springsteen.
"I think that he is a disgusting display of not appreciating what was handed to him, in this country as being an American, the success that he has had. The fact that he duped us all with one of the most anti-American songs ever and called it 'Born in the USA' as some sort of celebration of how great it is to be born in the USA. I'm angry at myself for not seeing it for so long and actually giving him, in my mind, the credit of being a representation of blue-collar America."
It's a true honor to open AFI Fest with 'Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.' AFI has always championed bold, meaningful storytelling, and I'm grateful to be part of that tradition. While Bruce's roots will forever be in New Jersey, Los Angeles played a profound role in shaping his artistic voice. I want to thank Bob Gazzale and everyone at AFI for this extraordinary privilege,
