Jersey Boys *** (2014, John Lloyd Young, Christopher Walken) – Movie Review

The surprise choice 84-year-old director Clint Eastwood tells the story of four Italian boys from New Jersey’s wrong side of the tracks who became the 1960s pop group The Four Seasons.

Eastwood intriguingly turns the long-running hit stage musical into a sometimes rather serious-minded biopic of the boys with a bit of music – their hits of course – included on the side, plus a show-stopping finale after the film’s stopped. It’s the best-staged number in the movie, the least messed around with, so the most enjoyable. So stop for that one.

There’s good an bad here, but overall it’s very enjoyable. The bad is, it has no idea what tone to take. Is it a serious story of Mob influence and hard graft? Is it a Guys ‘n Dolls-style comedic take on things? Does it purport to tell the true story of the boys in the band? Or it is all just a make-believe lark? it seems to be all these things at various times. You might not like this. But don’t fight it. Just go with Clint’s flow and let the entertainment wash over you.

Tony Award-winning actor John Lloyd Young‘s Frankie Valli is the hit turn, no doubt. And as he’s central to it all as the lead singer that’s a major plus. He’s great, full of low-key charisma, appealing and convincing. The real-life Frankie Valli, producing, must be very happy. I enjoyed Christopher Walken as Italian gangster Gyp DeCarlo. It’s not the best thing he’s done but he’s fun. He seems to be in the comedic take on things part of the movie.

Quite a lot less tongue in cheek, Erich Bergen, Michael Lomenda and Vincent Piazza are all excellent too as band members Bob Gaudio, Nick Massi and Tommy DeVito. All good, all pretty edgy, and I quite liked their talking direct to camera thing. It’s tricky to pull of but it works here.

One stain on the film is the revolting anti-gay stereotype of the manager Mike Doyle as Bob Crewe, the record producer known for producing, and co-writing with Bob Gaudio the string of Top 10 singles for The Four Seasons. What was Eastwood thinking of allowing an actor to do this?

The tale itself doesn’t amount to a mountain of beans, maybe a hill at best. It’s the old, old one of money mismanagement, marital difficulties, family problems and mob ties. Nevertheless, it works, It keeps you involved in there for a couple of hours. It’s diverting, entertaining.

The best thing about it is the atmosphere and the production. The set designs and Eastwood’s obvious affection for the period make it an infectious, evident labour of love. And of course the songs? Well, you may well come away singing the tunes, corny as they are. They’re so outmoded that they seem like parodies of Sixties songs. But still. Altogether now, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Rag Doll, Walk Like a Man, Sherry Baby….

© Derek Winnert 2014 Movie Review

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more film reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/