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adamwatchesmovies · 5 years ago

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Blinded By the Light (2019)

Blinded By the Light is simultaneously specific and universal. It’s a real crowd-pleaser that radiates charm. You could bring anyone to see it, and they’d have a great time.

In 1987, Javed Khan (Viveik Kalra) discovers Bruce “The Boss�� Springsteen. An outsider at school, he's smothered by his father (Kulvinder Ghir) - who doesn’t think writing is a possible career choice for the child of Pakistani immigrants. Something about the American rocker speaks to the young man. The songs inspire him to take the first steps necessary to make his dreams happen.

This is an unmistakably British story. You frequently see images of Margaret Thatcher. The country's crippling unemployment weighs heavily on both Javed and his father. The family encounters members of the National Front (NF) on multiple occasions. Not only is it from that specific place; it’s also from a specific time. It’s distinctly Pakistani. As the son of an immigrant, Javed and his sisters (Nikita Mehta and Tara Divina) face pressures and problems other families don't. If your parents immigrated away from their home country or you’ve ever been at a party and realized “I’m the only BLANK here”, you’ll instantly relate. If you aren’t, it doesn’t matter. What Javed experiences is relevant today and a lot of what he’s experiencing, you have too. You want to see what’s coming next for this aspiring young man. And then... Springsteen happens.

Once we're introduced to the music of “The Boss”, everything changes. For Javed, each tune is an obsession, a way of life. He ties every song to all aspect life. At first, you’re like “come on, there’s other music out there” but when he breaks it down, his passion makes you understand. We’ve all had that one thing no one else gets quite the way we do. Seeing someone with this level of enthusiasm carves a permanent smile on your face. When he gets to fulfill his dreams - even if it's something as "mundane" as publishing an article in the student newspaper telling everyone why Springsteen is so good - you pump your fist in the air. You understand why it’s such a big deal. This is not a musical but director Gurinder Chadha puts special emphasis on the lyrics and the music. It gives the whole thing some extra flair.

It’s a movie full of little victories. There’s a sweet romance that develops with Nell Williams, you get to see Javed in what is a bit of a coming-of-age/growing up story, the stories of friendship and of the small town escape charm you. If I have a criticism it’s that Javed’s siblings aren’t given much attention. The eldest, Yasmeen, feels like she’s only there because Javed Khan actually had two sisters. Did I forget to mention this is based on a real-life story? This fact sweetens the deal. The movie’s already ending on a joyous note but seeing the pictures of the real guy, that’s just the best. (Theatrical version on the big screen, August 21, 2019)

#Blinded by the light #BlindedByTheLight #movies #films #reviews #movie reviews #film reviews #gurinder chadha #paul mayeda berges #sarfaz manzoor #viveik kalra #kulvinder ghir #meera ganatra #nell williams #aaron phagura #dean-charles chapman #2019 movies #2019 films #film criticism

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thefilmsnob · 5 years ago

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Blinded by the Light: ***1/2 out of 5

Blinded by the Light tells the story of a British teen of South Asian descent whose passion for the songs of Bruce Springsteen inspires him to pursue his own—wait a minute…didn’t we already see this movie, called Yesterday, a few months back? And hasn’t there been a slew of these jukebox musicals within the last year, involving the music of icons like The Beatles, Queen, Elton John and ABBA?

Correct. Hollywood had its vampire craze then moved on to superheroes and now it’s capitalizing on the sweet tunes of the ‘70s and ‘80s (presumably to counter the sour tunes of the present). Whether this trend will fizzle out like the former or continue burning bright like the latter remains uncertain, but the film du jour certainly makes a case for the latter.

Obviously, it has striking similarities to Yesterday, but unlike that fantasy involving a musician who awakens following a crash to discover The Beatles don’t exist, Blinded by the Light is inspired by a real person’s incredible story. As a youth, Sarfraz Manzoor discovered the power of Springsteen’s beloved blue-collar folk tunes. Today, he’s a journalist, documentary maker and broadcaster; he even co-wrote this film with director Gurinder Chadha and writer Paul Mayeda, a project based on the memoir Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock N’ Roll written by, of course, Manzoor. That Springsteen fellow can certainly make an impression.

And our protagonist, going by the name of Javed Khan and played by the charismatic Viveik Kalra in his feature debut, really could use some inspiration. A British-Pakistani student, Javed lives in the rough and gritty Luton, England just north of London in 1987 when Springsteen had already passed his prime. Yet, Javed couldn’t care less because the music becomes an antidote to his dreary life spent in a cramped apartment with four other family members in a bleak town composed of mostly white people, many of whom are ardent racists.

The main source of his frustration, though, is his authoritarian father, Malik (Kulvinder Ghir), the stereotypical ‘man of the house’ who belittles Javed’s love of writing poetry and listening to rock music, believing his son’s main priority should be providing for himself and family. But, when Roops (Aaron Phagura), the only other South Asian student at school, introduces Javed to Springsteen, the boy experiences a newfound sense of liberty.

It’s so easy to share in the pure joy Javed feels while listening. We do so partly because we’ve been waiting to hear the music for at least a half hour but mostly because—well—the music is just so damn great. No one will accuse this film of being terribly original, but there are some neat flourishes that jazz things up, like when we hear The Boss’s music while the lyrics literally pop up on screen as if they’re thought bubbles produced by Javed’s sheer excitement. It’s this excitement, coupled with the encouragement from his teacher, Ms. Clay (Hayley Atwell), and a few others that leads him to recover his poems that he had thrown away as well as the motivation to continue pursuing his craft.

Of course, this enrages his father who, to add fuel to the fire, just lost his job. The uneasy dynamic between father and son forms the dramatic and emotional foundation of the film, and though it sometimes results in melodrama, it still works. For a while, Malik comes across as a one-dimensional stereotype, huffing and puffing about rules and priorities. But, the writers build this character into something more than a mere plot device, so we actually empathize with a man who can be such a curmudgeon at times. It would’ve been nice if the females around Javed were developed a bit more, namely his crush Eliza (Nell Williams), his mother Noor (Meera Ganatra) and his two sisters Shazia and Yasmeen (Nikita Mehta, Tara Divina).

Despite all the roadblocks, Javed continues singing and dancing all over with Eliza and Roops often tagging along. Now, make no mistake: this film is unabashedly corny and over-the-top, illustrated best in a sequence in which Javed sneaks into the high school radio station to play ‘Born to Run’ for the entire student body while the trio runs through the streets of Luton, stopping only to sing and dance with the locals. Some viewers will roll their eyes, but I suspect more will love it; if ‘Born to Run’ doesn’t excite you, I really don’t know what will. Yeah, it’s all cheesy as hell, but damn is it fun. Although, I could’ve done with fewer instances of characters incorporating Springsteen lyrics into actual conversations. It’s a bit much.

Nonetheless, the movie’s earnestness can be surprisingly infectious. That’s due in no small part to Kalra’s charming performance. He wins us over with those wide eyes and even wider smile, coupled with an almost limitless enthusiasm. It’s a joy to go on this coming-of-age journey with such a likable young man. At times, some bad people threaten to ruin the party in ways that feel pretty dark for a film like this, as in a neo Nazi rally near the end that isn’t so easy to digest. But, the optimistic spirit of this film usually wins the day, even if it comes in the form of easy answers and wish fulfillment.

Let’s be honest, our world is crumbling around us as we speak and it can be easy to despair, yet Blinded by the Light is sure to put a smile on the faces of even the most unwavering cynics.

#blinded by the light #movie review #bruce springsteen #jukebox musical

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alanafsmith · 7 years ago

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Sexting, knife crime and social media — pro bono takes many forms

Legal Cheek catches up with GDL student and nominee Nikita Mehta ahead of tomorrow’s pro bono awards ceremony

Tomorrow, the heavyweights of the pro bono world will gather in the House of Commons for the LawWorks & Attorney General’s Student Pro Bono Awards. Gongs up for grabs include Best Contribution by a Law School, Best New Pro Bono Activity and Best Contribution by a Team of Students, as well as Best Contribution by an Individual Student.

Up for this latter award are BPP Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) student Nikita Mehta, Swansea University’s Andrea Garvey, the University of Birmingham’s Catherine Ruta, Georgia Steaton from London South Bank University, Maddison Redgwell at the University of Westminster, the University of Greenwich’s Rebecca Smith and Samantha Maher from Manchester Met.

Legal Cheek caught up with Mehta, who combines her GDL with a role as the student director of BPP Streetlaw Schools and Youth Groups. This is a legal awareness project designed to broaden appreciation of the law among disadvantaged communities. The University of Nottingham history graduate coordinates a series of topical presentations to be delivered by a handful of BPP student volunteers to school-age children across London. She told us:

“It’s great to be travelling across different schools to get young people talking about contentious topics and challenging entrenched views.”

Mehta’s team delivers between one and three presentations a week. Recent themes addressed by Streetlaw include sexting, knife crime, human trafficking and social media. She recalls one interactive presentation on tolerance which was a highlight for her because the students were particularly vociferous and engaged:

“They were all keen to get involved, so we divided the class into groups that each represented a different sect. The groups then had to play out a scenario where they demonstrated tolerance to one another — it was fun to watch it all unfold!”

The 2018 GDL Most List

But with study, Streetlaw and a weekend job all on the go Mehta, who decided to convert to law after a brief stint working in digital media, says it’s quite the balancing act. It’s rewarding, though, especially given her efforts were quickly recognised by Streetlaw team chiefs Victoria Speed and Racheal Busingye and nominated for the award. On being shortlisted, solicitor hopeful Mehta says:

“It’s been overwhelming and everyone’s support feels like a win in itself. I am so grateful and super excited for the ceremony!”

The ceremony, sponsored by LexisNexis and hosted by Attorney General Jeremy Wright MP, takes place tomorrow in the House of Commons. Judging the talent will be senior figures from across the legal industry, including Christina Blacklaws, vice president of the Law Society, and the Bar Council’s Alison Padfield QC.

Other university-led initiatives to receive nominations include the Autism Law Service, run by Nottingham Trent University; the University of Liverpool’s Children’s Social Care and SEND Clinic; Liverpool Law Clinic Family Court Project; and The Family Justice Project, by Northumbria University.

The post Sexting, knife crime and social media — pro bono takes many forms appeared first on Legal Cheek.

from All About Law https://www.legalcheek.com/2018/04/sexting-knife-crime-and-social-media-pro-bono-takes-many-forms/

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