Vague Visages’ Road Diary review contains minor spoilers. Thom Zimny’s 2024 Disney+/Hulu documentary features Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren. Check out the VV home page for more film reviews.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, American musician Bruce Springsteen anticipated “the wildest party you have ever seen.” The 2024 Disney+/Hulu documentary Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band invites viewers to join a celebration, whether it’s devoted fans or newcomers eager to discover what all the fuss is about.

While there have been many documentaries about Springsteen albums, such as Zimny’s own The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town (2010) and Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You (2020), or Ernie Fritz’s Blood Brothers: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (1995) and filmed concerts such as Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Live in New York City (2001) or Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Hammersmith Odeon, London ’75 (2005), Road Diary places viewers directly inside the band’s tour preparations for an original behind-the-scenes look at their rehearsal process.

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As much as Springsteen emphasizes his role as a singer-songwriter, he is also a consummate showman, and it’s the live shows that cement his legendary status. Road Diary reflects on the E Street Band’s origins and contributions, including archival interviews with Danny Federici and Clarence Clemons. This allows viewers to hear their perspectives and ensures they are honored, too, just like the nightly tributes during “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” with moving slideshows. Road Diary offers an intimate glimpse into the E Street Band as an expressive, collaborative and spontaneous organism tethered by its nearly 50-year history of working together. 

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In Road Diary, audiences learn about guitarist Steven Van Zandt’s new musical direction credit on the tour, along with the tight ship he runs so that the E Street Band’s performances don’t resemble “old men going through the motions.” There’s also newcomer Anthony Armante, an enthusiastic percussionist collaborating with Springsteen and company for the first time. In many ways, he’s like an audience surrogate, experiencing the creative inner world of the E Street Band. Springsteen’s manager Jon Landau stands out among the talking heads, speaking matter-of-factly yet admirably about the iconic lead singer. Scott Cooper’s upcoming biopic Deliver Me from Nowhere will explore the a close-knit relationship further, with Landau being portrayed by Jeremy Strong (Succession).

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Landau provides one of the best quotes in Road Diary: “The man who was coming up the stairs in Tampa, he knows exactly who he is. He knows exactly what he’s done. And he is the maestro.” Zimny pairs this with slow-motion footage of Springsteen walking up steps before slamming right into a blistering opening of “No Surrender” in Tampa. The combination of strong voice-over narration and focused visuals lets viewers witness the craft and dedication of the maestro in all his unmatched glory.

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The specter of aging has not only lingered over Springsteen’s entire tour, but also the artist’s latest works such as the Letter to You album, Springsteen on Broadway and his autobiography Born to Run. He has been reflecting on the past and defining what his legacy will be. For this latest tour, Springsteen used a carefully-constructed and often static set list, which did draw some contention from fans. Road Diary offers fascinating insight into these choices and what stories they tell, with Springsteen himself explaining that he wanted to “let the audience know who I am at this point in my work life.” And currently, he is grappling with mortality. As Landau bluntly puts it, every member of Springsteen’s teenage band, The Castiles, has passed away. He’s next. 

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Much of Road Diary defends the set list and articulates the story Springsteen is trying to tell. Drummer Max Weinberg describes each song choice as one of “defiance and urgency,” while Nils Lofgren explains that the grab bag, jam-session style performances of tours past did not allow for a deep connection to the work or an artistic evolution. The bass player Garry Tallent sees the latest tour as more of an experience than a traditional concert. They are giving it their all, playing with reckless abandon, because they see that white light of the oncoming train — what Springsteen refers to as death in his concerts — and it reminds them “how important it is to seize the day whenever you can.”

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So much of what makes Zimny’s work transfixing are the juxtapositions he creates through editing. In an interview with KCRW, the director describes these techniques as his earliest fascination with filmmaking — his version of a “magic trick,” like what Springsteen calls his own showmanship. The magic lies in how Zimny interweaves certain images and voice-overs to conjure deep feelings and new meanings in Road Diary. For instance, he presents archival clips of a young, lanky Springsteen whipping his body back and forth and jumping into a rambunctious crowd during “Spirit in the Night,” while Van Zandt describes his childhood friend as one of “the most introverted guy you could ever meet” who became “the world’s greatest entertainer.”

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Often, Zimny slows down footage of Springsteen’s jackrabbit performances so that viewers may soak in all its detail. Flowing with an ease and effortlessness, it’s clear how the simple move of a shoulder or the twitch of a finger commands the entire band. Zimny frequently lingers on certain audience members — men, women, children, lovers, and friends — gazing up at Springsteen with adoration, pure joy or wistful tears. This languid and detailed pacing evokes the transcendent experience of watching his shows, which many have compared to a spiritual experience. Zimny also interviews some European fans, although it would have been nice to hear from some American ones. The director perfectly captures the lighting-fast Springsteen by bottling his energy through various camera techniques, allowing audiences to closely examine the musician’s craft and its powerful effects on fans.

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It would’ve been interesting to hear more about the nitty-gritty of modern touring in Road Diary, including the luxuries and massive infrastructure that goes along with it. But there’s something more romantic about the days when the E Street Band was young, driving long hours and scraping together their pennies. The archival footage of them as young men on a tour motorhome paired with stories of Clarence Clemons cooking breakfast are priceless. 

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With Road Diary, Springsteen fans will receive a new appreciation for the tour and the craft that went into it. For those unfamiliar with the E Street Band, Zimny’s documentary may inspire viewers to see one of their soulful live shows, which is teased in clips from “Prove It All Night,” “Kitty’s Back” and “Nightshift.” Road Diary is intimate and illuminating, revealing the E Street Band’s brilliance and how they function like a well-oiled machine, with Springsteen as the engine that guides them. For all the talk about death, fans may find themselves worrying with each concert performance. Thankfully, Springsteen reassures his admirers, saying, “I plan on continuing until the wheels come off.”

Caroline Madden (@crolinss) is the author of Springsteen as Soundtrack. She’s also a film critic who has written for Screen Queens, Reverse Shot, IndieWire and more. Caroline is the editor-in-chief of Video Librarian.

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