Review: Beyond the Sea
I learned at least two things from this movie:
- Bobby Darin sang a much wider range of songs than I thought
- Kevin Spacey can sing
Actually, despite the unapologetic fictionalization of Darin’s life, I feel like I learned a lot about Bobby Darin. When I first started watching the movie, and it became obvious that an autobiographical movie within the biographical movie was going to be the narrative theme, I was really worried that it was going to come off as confusing, cheap, and campy — especially when the older Bobby started talking to the actor playing the younger Bobby in the nested movie, who became the “real” younger Bobby in the film proper. That even sounds confusing when I write it out. But in the end, I think Spacey (who took the role of actor, writer, and director, and performed all of the songs) created exactly the mood he intended. It was like watching a lounge act: mostly light-hearted (even the more somber parts had a rosy sheen), colorful, energetic, and always entertaining — but not necessarily deep. The film was obviously the work of a fan who wanted to honor Bobby.
And that was fine with me. It was nice to see a biography that left me feeling happy. Plus, the music was great! I didn’t know Darin did anything after the early 60’s. My wife and I both really liked (and had not previously heard) “Simple Song of Freedom” performed during his short comeback in the early 70’s.
Of course, due to the film’s style I’m actually not positive the comeback took the form I saw - it could have been a fictional account for the sake of the story - but I know he wrote and most likely performed the song.
Overall, I thought Spacey’s performance (musically) was excellent. It was obvious he had a fondness for Bobby’s style. While his acting wasn’t quite as nuanced or intense as some of his other roles, the movie didn’t call for that, so I give him good marks there as well (as usual).
Three stars out of five. Add another half-star if you’re a big band/lounge fan.
Tags: film, Kevin Spacey, music, ReviewsRelated posts
Tags: film, Kevin Spacey, music, Reviews
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