The strength of the Broadway smash “Jersey Boys” was found in its music and its compelling true story behind Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
Those same strengths propel the new movie by the same name – but they just aren’t enough to carry the film to new heights. Thus, we’re not surprised to find “Jersey Boys” finished only fourth nationally at the box office when it opened last weekend.
Perhaps it’s because the idea of the very talented Clint Eastwood tackling such compelling content seemed like a no-lose proposition.
Perhaps it’s because John Lloyd Young, who won a Tony award in 2006 for his portrayl of Valli, reprises his tremendous work in the movie version.
Perhaps it’s because everyone in the audience (at least at the show I attended) was old enough to remember a favorite Four Seasons song. For the record, mine is “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.”
For whatever the reasons, expectations were sky high for “Jersey Boys.” So when it didn’t deliver the home run expected, I left the theater a bit disappointed.
Make no mistake. In many scenes, this is a good movie, entertaining and informative to those not familiar with The Four Seasons’ story. A worthy behind-the-scenes look at how musical sausage was made back in the day.
It’s just not a great movie – and it could have been.
Much of the blame for that has to be directed toward Eastwood, who did a wonderful job in fleshing out characters in movies like “Flags of Our Fathers” and “Letters from Iwo Jima.” In “Jersey Boys,” that character development just doesn’t happen.
That means the audience is left wondering why they should care when things begin to unravel for The Four Seasons and also why we should be happy when the group is reunited for induction into the Rock Hall of Fame years later. Eastwood simply doesn’t give us enough reasons to care, which is hard to believe given the film’s 134-minute length.
That’s a shame, given the performances of Young, Michael Lomenda, Erich Bergen as the remainder of The Four Seasons. Young simply IS Frankie Valli, the great crooner of his time. Valli’s high and powerful falsetto had never been matched – until Young did it on Broadway and now in Hollywood. Lomenda and Bergen were also in the Broadway show and they turned in excellent roles in the film version, as well.
It’s the music that is the star of “Jersey Boys.” While it is unevenly paced off-stage and drags here and there, especially in the beginning, it’s the music that audience members will remember after the credits roll.
That’s not shocking when you consider this vocal group sold 100 million records after they came together in 1960. Hits include “Who Loves You,” “Rag Doll,” “Dawn,” “Sherry,” “Walk Like a Man,: “December 1963 (Oh What A Night),” “Working My Way Back to You,” and “My Eyes Adored You.” All of them come to life on screen in “Jersey Boys.”
In fact, outside of The Beatles, you could make the argument The Four Seasons was the most popular band of all time.
Sadly, Eastwood’s movie doesn’t come close to matching the intensity or quality of the music.
Near the end of the movie, Young (as Valli) offers a telling statement that describes the music vs. the movie. “They ask ya ‘what was the high point?’ The Hall of Fame, sellin’ all those records, pullin’ Sherry outta the hat? It was all great. But the first time the four of us made that sound, our sound… when everything dropped away and all there was was the music… that was the best.”
The music will always be the best. The movie “Jersey Boys” doesn’t do it justice.
Movie: Jersey Boys
Director: Clint Eastwood
Rated: R
Run time: 134 minutes
Starring: John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen and Michael Lomenda
Next week: Transformers: Age of Extinction
