T his Boss-olatrous film only partly escapes music-movie cliches. This happens when Bruce Springsteen finally leaves his New Jersey heartland, and sees a shrink in shallow LA where he has bought a house. Otherwise, it’s all chunks of expositional dialogue (“I’m just trying to find something real in the noise!” “It’s like he’s channelling something deeply personal!”), black-and-white flashbacks to his tough upbringing, scenes in the recording studio with producers and execs looking on wonderstruck behind the glass while the magic happens. And there’s some very strange stuff about Bruce’s romantic life.

Jeremy Allen White does an intelligent, committed job as Springsteen; Jeremy Strong gives of his considerable best with the thanklessly dull role of Bruce’s manager and friend Jon Landau,

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