A tribute to The E Street Band, rock 'n' roll, and the way music has shaped Bruce Springsteen's life, this documentary captures Bruce reflecting on love and loss while recording with his full band live in the studio for the first time since Born in the U.S.A.
"There's only so much time left," says Bruce Springsteen, reflecting on ageing as he records his 20th studio album, Letter to You, with a reconvened E Street Band. Shot in crisp, autumnal black-and-white, director Thom Zimny's rollicking documentary is often moving, always engaging, and provides keen insight into the binding ties between bandmates alive and dead. Alongside tributes to the fallen (Danny Federici, Clarence Clemons), the film's depiction of brotherly chemistry between those still standing crackles with life. Meanwhile, Springsteen's voiceover ranges from youthful reminiscences to meditations on mortality, and even if you find his cowboy-sage, between-song pronouncements lofty, the marks left by the songs - ruminative or raucous - cut sure and true. Maybe the E Streeters "ain't that young anymore", but Letter to You pays affecting, rousing testimony to the durable power of connections forged through song. Time well spent.
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Bruce Springsteen | Bruce Springsteen |
| Roy Bittan | Roy Bittan |
| Nils Lofgren | Nils Lofgren |
| Patti Scialfa | Patti Scialfa |
| Steve Van Zandt | Steve Van Zandt |
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Director | Thom Zimny |
