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Today’s Prayer Focus

Blinded By the Light

also known as “A Música da Minha Vida,” “Blinded by the Light - O Poder da Música,” “Blinded by the Light - Travolto dalla musica,” “Blinded by the Light. Sila muzyki,” “Cegado por la luz,” “La Música De Mi Vida,” “Music of my Life,” «Ослепленный светом»
MPA Rating: PG-13-Rating (MPA) for thematic material and language including some ethnic slurs.
Moral Rating: Caution
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: • Teens • Young-Adults • Adults
Genre: Comedy Music Drama
Length: 1 hr. 57 min.
Year of Release: 2019
USA Release: January 27, 2019 (Sundance festival)
August 16, 2019 (wide—2,307 theaters)
DVD: November 19, 2019
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Relevant Issues

Feeling alienation

Coming of age

Teenage rebellion

Friend who is a punk rocker

Avoiding selfishness and what develops from it

Parents who frequently argue about money and work

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Apparent cultural divide been a young person and his parents

Feeling like your parents are stuck in another century

Lying to parents

Son disowning his father

Children and parents that build walls between each other… instead of bridges

Reconciling with parents—and children with parents

Forgiveness

God’s command to obey and honor one’s parents

Lovingly fighting to keep family ties strong

For a follower of Christ, what is LOVE—a feeling, an emotion, or an action? Answer

Seeking true wisdom, goodness and righteousness

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Difficulties of living in a different culture

British-Pakistani Muslim community and culture

Arranged marriages

Forbidden love

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Politics of this film

Attacks Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s politics and actions

Depiction of political activism

Political Correctness

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Portrays nationalists as bad, racist, skinheads, bigots, mean, dangerous… and white.

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Music

Personally identifying with the emotions and lyrics of a songwriter

How music can lift the human spirit

Music in the Bible

Doing what is right

Finding hope

Dealing wisely and righteously with hate, personal emotional anger and frustration

Teen Qs™—Christian Answers for teenagers
Teens! Have questions? Find answers in our popular TeenQs section. Get answers to your questions about life, dating and much more.

How far is TOO FAR? What are the guidelines for dating relationships? Answer

PURITY—Should I save sex for marriage? Answer

SEXUAL LUST outside of marriage—Why does God strongly warn us about it? Answer

What is SEXUAL IMMORALITY? Answer

What are the CONSEQUENCES of sexual immorality? Answer

Sex, Love and Relationships
Learn how to make your love the best it can be. Christian answers to questions about sex, marriage, sexual addictions, and more. Valuable resources for Christian couples, singles and pastors.
Featuring Viveik KalraJaved
Hayley Atwell … Ms Clay
Rob Brydon … Matt's Dad
Kulvinder Ghir … Malik
Nell Williams … Eliza
Dean-Charles ChapmanEstate Agent
Aaron Phagura … Roops
Meera Ganatra … Noor
Jonno Davies … Michael (Estate Agent)
Sally Phillips … Mrs. Anderson
See all »
Director Gurinder Chadha
Producer Bend It Films [Great Britain]
Ingenious Media [Great Britain]
See all »
Distributor Distributor: Warner Brothers Pictures. Trademark logo.Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company
Copyrighted, Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company

Description based on synopsis supplied by distributor: In 1987, during the days of Thatcher’s Britain, a teenager learns to live life, understand his family and find his own voice through the music of Bruce Springsteen. The title is from a 1973 Springsteen song. Set in the town of Luton, the film tells the coming-of-age story of Javed, a British-Pakistani Muslim teenager whose life is changed after he discovers Springsteen music. He writes poetry as a means to escape the intolerance of his hometown and the inflexibility of his traditional father. When a classmate introduces him to the music of “The Boss,” Javed sees parallels to his working-class life in Springsteen’s lyrics. As Javed discovers a cathartic outlet for his own pent-up dreams, he also begins to find the courage to express himself in his own unique voice.

This film is based on journalist Sarfraz Manzoor’s memoir Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion and Rock N’ Roll.

  • Sex: • making out in public and private (repeatedly) • apparent fornication • kissing
  • Violence: • man beaten • skinheads acting out against those they hate • angry racism depicted (whites against Pakistanis) • rough political march
  • Vulgar/Crude language: • s-words (several) • cr*p (several) • p*ssed • w*nker • pl*nker • frickin’ • bloody • prat
  • Profane language: • J*sus (1) • G*d (3)
  • Nudity: • cleavage • young man wears only boxers • nude statue of male
Volunteer reviewer needed for this movie

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Neutral
NeutralNot appropriate for children. There is a bit of language ,and it’s full of typical teenage rebellion—complete with lying to parents, forbidden love, etc.—but all in all, it’s a pretty good (true) story about the coming of age and becoming your own man. I enjoyed it, for the most part.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Chrystal, age 42 (USA)
Neutral—Very slow for the most part, not a bad movie, just hard to explain. Some anti-muslim references, as well as some sexual innuendo, and racist violence. Not for kids, too slow, and the content was at times nothing short of depressing. The ending was decent, and the acting was good.

I took my wife as we hadn’t seen a movie in months due to the dearth of quality films, and was hoping it was a sleeper, but, in the end, just another mediocre movie.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Dennis Evers, age 65 (USA)

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