Western Stars

Directed by Thom Zimny and Bruce Springsteen, Western Stars follows Springsteen as he performs a selection of songs from his 19th album within the confines of an expansive barn on his property. The novelty of the picture’s primary locale certainly ensures that Western Stars rarely comes off as a been-there-done-that concert movie, and there’s little doubt, as well, that Springsteen’s undeniable stage presence heightens the impact of what’s ultimately an exceedingly strong roster of tunes. The compulsively watchable atmosphere is perpetuated by the cinematic segments between songs, as Zimny and Springsteen deliver compelling visuals to accompany the latter’s occasionally esoteric stories and musings revolving around a wide range of topics (eg “you don’t know how to hold onto love but you know how to hold onto hurt”). The end result is a solid accompaniment to The Boss’ best album in years, and it does seem, ultimately, like Western Stars might be a good place for Springsteen neophytes to start with his prolific body of work.

*** out of ****