71
Metascore
44 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 91The PlaylistJordan RuimyThe PlaylistJordan RuimyThis is one of the most joyous and exhilarating movies you will see this year and because there is so much passion flowing out from the music, screenplay, and acting, you totally forgive the film when it strays into the predictable and even a little bit of corniness.
- 90VarietyOwen GleibermanVarietyOwen GleibermanIt’s the sort of unguarded drama they used to make in the ‘80s — a coming-of-age tale of unabashed earnestness — but it’s also a delirious and romantic rock ‘n’ roll parable.
- 90TheWrapSteve PondTheWrapSteve PondBlinded by the Light is corny, silly, as overblown as one of Springsteen’s grandest anthems and damn near irresistible.
- 83IndieWireDavid EhrlichIndieWireDavid EhrlichIf you have even the slightest emotional connection to Springsteen’s music — if you’ve ever found salvation in a rock song, or desperately wished that you could change your clothes, your hair, your face — this giddy steamroller of a movie is going to flatten you whether you like it or not.
- 83ConsequenceClint WorthingtonConsequenceClint WorthingtonAs a crowd-pleasing, emotionally gripping joyride about the ways in which music can change our lives, it’s one to see, and more than once.
- 80Film ThreatAnthony Ray BenchFilm ThreatAnthony Ray BenchThis is a feel-good movie that tackles a bunch of tough topics, from politics, race, family traditions, social frustrations, and romance. It never feels preachy or overly cheesy.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeLight is just as faithful to formula as Bend It Like Beckham and just as reliant on its lead's likability; here, newcomer Viveik Kalra radiates enough guileless enthusiasm to carry viewers past the film's rough patches.
- 70Screen DailyTim GriersonScreen DailyTim GriersonWhile this flimsy coming-of-age drama over-relies on the Boss’s greatest hits for its emotional high points, this remains a likeable and touching story about finding your own voice.
- 50The Film StageDan MeccaThe Film StageDan MeccaThe pace picks up quite a bit in the film’s third act, working hard to wrap everything up. It’s extremely rushed and convenient, but by then Blinded By The Light will have either won or lost its viewers.
- 40The GuardianBenjamin LeeThe GuardianBenjamin LeeThere’s something so constructed and suffocating about watching a tried and tested formula not working, the over-sentimental string-pulling on show for all to see.