Little Tony DeFranco
01-10-2005, 06:37 AM
Review: Beyond the Sea
http://www.browntownjohnny.com/index.php
I do recall it when Bobby Darin died (when I was 16) and he was not just a singer. He was an actor (nominated for an Oscar) and record producer, as well as an all-round entertainer. All these years, I wondered why anybody would not make his biography. Kevin Spacey thought the same thing and pulls off a labor of love for Bobby Darin and himself. "Beyond the Sea" is directed/produced/co-written and stars Spacey as Walden Robert Cassato (aka Bobby Darin). The choice to make a surreal film about a poor sick kid from the Bronx who sang his way through the 40's to keep his mind off poverty is clumsy in style. The 3rd biopic of musical legends to be released last year (Ray Charles, Cole Porter) follows the same surreal style as Irwin Winkler's "De-lovely" with much better results.
Spacey sings (uncanny impression of Darin, and all the hits), dances (ugh) and performs the stage just like the man. This is amazing stuff. The movie has a heart, with a tender love story with virginal wife, actress Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth is excellent). They had a son and never divorced, but Bobby loved to perform more than anything else until his death in 73 (a life long heart problem). Spacey made this film to be more about Spacey than Darin: it was his struggle to do the story with him playing the lead (a clever nod to the audience when Bobby is told "You can't play you! You are too Old!"). Darin was a prick for perfection, but he wanted to be bigger than Sinatra (and for a kid in his 20's, he was). I had no problem with this ego trip, and it is a well made movie.
The re-recordings are top notch (get the soundtrack) and I am a very big fan of Darin. Kevin Spacey is a talented guy (even went on tour with the band across the USA), and this is going to be in my collection when it comes out on DVD. The international supporting cast is great, Bob Hoskins as Darin's brother-in-law Charlie Maffia is fine. Brenda Blethyn shines as Darin's mom Polly, and kudos to Caroline Aaron as his sister Nina (a major plot point left me with tears). Aaron's comic performance seems to be one note, but builds to real emotion. John Goodman phones in his role as Bobby's manager. Spacey wanted to be respectful to Sandra Dee and son Dodd by making the story about them too. One of the top ten this year (my chioce) because it aint easy to do it all, and Kevin Spacey did it here!
Side note: Spacey will play Lex Luthor along with Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane in "Superman Returns!".
Heartbeat is a Love Beat
http://www.browntownjohnny.com/index.php
I do recall it when Bobby Darin died (when I was 16) and he was not just a singer. He was an actor (nominated for an Oscar) and record producer, as well as an all-round entertainer. All these years, I wondered why anybody would not make his biography. Kevin Spacey thought the same thing and pulls off a labor of love for Bobby Darin and himself. "Beyond the Sea" is directed/produced/co-written and stars Spacey as Walden Robert Cassato (aka Bobby Darin). The choice to make a surreal film about a poor sick kid from the Bronx who sang his way through the 40's to keep his mind off poverty is clumsy in style. The 3rd biopic of musical legends to be released last year (Ray Charles, Cole Porter) follows the same surreal style as Irwin Winkler's "De-lovely" with much better results.
Spacey sings (uncanny impression of Darin, and all the hits), dances (ugh) and performs the stage just like the man. This is amazing stuff. The movie has a heart, with a tender love story with virginal wife, actress Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth is excellent). They had a son and never divorced, but Bobby loved to perform more than anything else until his death in 73 (a life long heart problem). Spacey made this film to be more about Spacey than Darin: it was his struggle to do the story with him playing the lead (a clever nod to the audience when Bobby is told "You can't play you! You are too Old!"). Darin was a prick for perfection, but he wanted to be bigger than Sinatra (and for a kid in his 20's, he was). I had no problem with this ego trip, and it is a well made movie.
The re-recordings are top notch (get the soundtrack) and I am a very big fan of Darin. Kevin Spacey is a talented guy (even went on tour with the band across the USA), and this is going to be in my collection when it comes out on DVD. The international supporting cast is great, Bob Hoskins as Darin's brother-in-law Charlie Maffia is fine. Brenda Blethyn shines as Darin's mom Polly, and kudos to Caroline Aaron as his sister Nina (a major plot point left me with tears). Aaron's comic performance seems to be one note, but builds to real emotion. John Goodman phones in his role as Bobby's manager. Spacey wanted to be respectful to Sandra Dee and son Dodd by making the story about them too. One of the top ten this year (my chioce) because it aint easy to do it all, and Kevin Spacey did it here!
Side note: Spacey will play Lex Luthor along with Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane in "Superman Returns!".
Heartbeat is a Love Beat