The songs, performances, and archival clips in Bruce Springsteen’s new Hulu documentary will satisfy most fans of the E Street Band. Primarily a concert film, it righteously delivers classics, recent tunes, and up-close views of the players. But the producers made two major mistakes, starting with the film’s name: Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
Merriam-Webster’s defines a diary as a “daily record,” but doesn’t the term also imply a certain sense of intimacy? I expected a personal look at the band’s 2023/2024 tours: hotels, buses, dressing rooms. Yes, there are a few short segments on their initial rehearsals, but they’re mostly centered on the activity on the stage, not off. At no time do we get to see the cast of characters without their masks. Bruce has a built-in audience; the producers didn’t need to pick a misleading name. It’s disappointing because Springsteen’s brand has always been based on his down-to-earth honesty. Unfortunately, there’s no definition of “diary” that fits this film.
It’s as if these working-class champions didn’t want us to see the privileged lifestyle they enjoy on their journeys from town to town. But who would’ve begrudged them their fancy suites, catered meals, or private planes? If they don’t deserve them, who does? The problem is, instead of a behind-the-curtain perspective on what makes them tick, their true thoughts and feelings, and their emotional lows and peaks, we get song snippets from unknown cities in a collage that lacks context, without any references to locations or dates. Can you imagine a written diary without a mention of time and place?
That brings us to the second major mistake. In a half-hearted attempt to provide insight, we’re stuck with a monotone narration by—of all people—Bruce’s longtime manager and former producer, Jon Landau. His comments come across as a mundane attempt to tie together footage lacking cohesion or a unifying theme. The former Rolling Stone writer is a music industry legend with an unprecedented chameleonic career, but he doesn’t possess the on-screen magic necessary to pull together this uneven piece.
Overall, this concert documentary entertains. It’s a fine use of 99 minutes. It’s fun to feel the band-of-brothers’ love, revisit footage of its lost members, and rock out to snippets of great songs. Just don’t expect any private conversations or revelatory peeks into life on the road or the pleasures and pitfalls of luxury traveling.