Music biographies often follow a non-fussy trajectory, rallying its base with nostalgic re-creations of big concert moments and a sturdy timeline that begins with one idol’s birth and ending on a critical juncture in its subject’s life or even death.

Director and screenwriter Scott Cooper (“Crazy Heart,” “The Pale Blue Eye”) scraps much of that and hones in on more risky terrain, the metaphysical crisis and near breaking point in the life of one of our greatest musical forces – Bruce Springsteen, The Boss.

That focus makes a huge difference — focusing on the nature of an artist rather than his career — and creates a far more nuanced, moving portrait about a fragile musician reluctantly approaching the perilous brink of international stardom while confronting demons that both threaten to

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