Beyond the Sea
|
List Price: Our Price: $4.76 You Save: $10.22 (68%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.74 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Beyond the Sea
Movie Review: I know my hair is falling out
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm a huge fan of Bobby Darin and Kevin Spacey but I was avoiding this movie because as we all know Kevin won't be able to fool us into thinking he's Bobby and I didn't want to feel embarrassed for him. Kevin didn't look young enough to play the baby-faced Darin when he was in Working Girl, little less now.
I was at Western Union and the guy in front of me and I started talking. I wish I could remember how it started but basically we talked briefly for about four or five minutes about our appreciation for the arts over the past forty or so years. I found out at the end of our conversation that his name is Dave and he's a DJ in a strip joint in San Jose. Of course, I was extremely envious but I digress. We found that we had so many likes in common that I figured I tout a few things to him. I told him about Eric McFadden(check him out)and that I had discover, just in time to see the greatest concert I'd ever seen(out of about two thousand), Michael Buble. I may be one of a couple hundred people, if that, that follow both these artists. In fact, I might be the only one as this is a very wide gap between these two giants. But after talking to Dave for four or five minutes I knew he had the necessary appreciative skills. In return Dave quiried, "Have you seen Beyond the Sea?" Dave had already read me well enough to know where I would be at concerning Spacey and Darin and possible reservations about the flick without us having talked about any of these subjects. I realized this but still needlessly asked, "You've seen Aces Back to Back(for which I had just written a review) and the Mack is Back?" and of course he replied, "Oh yah." Well, as you can guess, if you're still with me, that was enough for me.
I just finished watching it and read the first dozen or so reviews. First thing first, thanks Dave. I equate this with Bob Roberts which I think is one of the Hundred Greatest Movies ever and with Kung Fu Hustle(oddly enough another one I just reviewed). I don't care for the Academy but I sure hope they don't over look this effort. That is unless it was in last year's group and was already been overlooked. Chow, Robbins, Beatty and Spacey are modern day Orson Welles. I would never have expected this movie or Spacey to be so good. No, he not young enough but it doesn't make a bit of difference because Spacey is a great actor and fully capable of suspending our belief. The alternative would be to have Jonathan Rhys Meyers unconvincingly lip synch Darin tracks and that would have made a dull movie. This is anything but dull.
Some reviewers complained about the contrivances of the plot but I found them immediately engaging. The point that I felt he had nailed it was Artificial Flowers. He didn't make me feel it like Bobby did and the same goes for Song of Freedom but what I got was the he understood and not that many people do. Believe me, I tried vainly with many. It easy to get it when it's Beyond the Sea or Dream Lover or Mack the Knife. But Kevin really gets it and he's bringing it to us. He was far more animated then Darin really was but that was part of the fantasy, the moonbeams but this is useless diatribe. Spacey, as was Darin, was brilliant. Goodness, he co-wrote and directed it too. Chow, Robbins, Beatty and Spacey, who are these people? Are the from Earth?
Everyone in this movie was great, even Goodman but especially Bosworth, Aaron, Ullrich and Blethyn. The music and choreography are a joy to behold. It's funny and it's heartfelt. Thanks again Dave.
One thing curious to me is where was the industry support for this movie? I got no buzz at all. Our top Bay Area critic panned it but that's to be expected. He wouldn't know a good movie if it sat on him. Speaking of which, Hey Chronicle, why don't you hire me. All the good jobs have been taken by guys like Dave. And say, can that Antoinette write a review? Makes wish I was literate.
I just was told by my wife that it was in last year's group. The Academy sucks. And I'm not taking anything away from Jamie, I've been a fan of his for years.
Movie Review: A Divine Piece Of Musical Cinema
Summary: 5 Stars
Being a fan of the swing era and in particular Darin I couldn't wait to see this movie when I first heard about it being made. Knowing about the people involved, what story it had to tell and the format it would take I just knew this would be amazing from the first minute to the last. Kevin Spacey is currently the finest actor to ever grace the silver screen, and he will go down in history as one of the finest to ever grace it. Bobby Darin in contrast was one of the finest singers of the great musical generation, was basically the first ever teen idol and has definitely gone down in history as one of the most entertaining and charismatic singers of the swing generation.
Before the film had even come to the screens, there was constant talk about whether Spacey was too old to play the part being 45 at the time and playing Bobby from his early to later career. In some respects it may be true that Kevin may have been too old to play the part, but he certainly put my fears to rest. The opening sequence of the film is an elongated introduction to the legendary song of "Mack The Knife" in which we're instantly introduced to Spacey as Darin making his way to the stage. The minute Spacey hits the stage, grabs the mic and engages the audience of actors you know that he was born to play Darin.
The story quite simply focuses around the life of Bobby Darin starting off modestly in his childhood when being taught the piano and to sing by his Mother, then growing into becoming the star he is. At the age of 8 Darin overheard a doctor tell his mother that he (Darin) would be lucky to see 16 years of age, so he lived in constant fear of his own mortality and developed high determination to live his short life to the fullest. Throughout the story we come to see the people he met that changed his life forever, especially his first wife Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth).
Being a Biopic Musical is something you don't regularly see, but when it does come around it certainly is an experience and this is made all the better with Spacey doing his musical performances. I honestly didn't realise that Spacey had such vocal talent, but the mimicry of all of Darins mannerisms are certainly something special. The dialect, the movements, the charisma and the aura are all expressed superbly throughout the film. In effect Spacey overshadows the entire supporting cast with his truly outstanding performance throughout. I'm not sure why but Spacey seemed to put that little bit extra into this performance, whether it was to prove the critics wrong or whether it was to do Darin justice I simply don't know, but what I do know is that it was wonderful.
Mentioning the supporting cast, there are certainly a few big names in there such as John Goodman as Darins manager, Bob Hoskins as his sisters husband and of course Kate Bosworth as the fabulous Sandra Dee. A special mention should go to William Ullrich as he plays a young Bobby Darin and actually performs a few musical duets with Spacey within the film. He's a delightful kid and very talented and possibly the only one not to be overshadowed by Spacey's presence.
Overall I would advise you all to ignore the negative critics on this one and at least give it a chance. Of course, if you don't like it then, then at least you can say "well I gave it a shot and it just didn't work for me." This isn't a film for everyone because of its subject and its format as some simply aren't fans of musicals, but judge each film on its merit that's what I say.
Movie Review: YOU HEAR WHAT YOU SEE!
Summary: 5 Stars
IN A NUTSHELL: "YOU HEAR WHAT YOU SEE" -- Sandra Dee
Kevin Spacey Co-wrote, Directed, Starred, and sang an enormously well done tribute to the life of Bobby Darin. Spacey utilized a somewhat novel technique of non-linear storytelling, by simply telling a story-within-a-story, and having two Bobby Darins, [young and adult] giving their deliberately narcissistic perspectives [as interpreted by Spacey], and thereby adding insight to the scenes.
WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT: STYLE - PACE - ENTERTAINMENT & TRUTH
A combination of depth and a fast pace, was established by Spacey, by turning to a collection of stylized epic musical videos, of sight and song, to depict movement and change as Darin's life progresses. This turned out to be an economical, and entertaining device that kept the film from slowing down or becoming too heavy with drama and tragedy, which of course punctuates the end of Darin's life, but not of this film's. Spacey simply did not go down the road to death's melo-dramatic door. Instead, he had the movie-within-a-movie device take a detour, and allow the film to end as celebration of Darin's life with yet another tasteful, epic, music video. This effectively avoided the excessive sadness that inevitably permeates the later scenes of most biopics, since inevitably the star dies and/or fades, but Spacey adroitly avoided this, and it is for many, a pleasant surprise.
THE CAST:
Kevin Spacey - Bobby Darin
Kate Bosworth - Sandra Dee - turns in a solid honest performance
John Goodman - Steve Blauner - excellent strong side-kick
Bob Hoskins - Charlie Cassotto Maffia - always there for Bobby
Brenda Blethyn - Polly Cassotto - Bobby's mother
Greta Scacchi - Mary Duvan - Sandra Dee's domineering stage-mother
William Ullrich - Little Bobby - Excellent foil for the adult Bobby
AWARDS:
Best Soundtrack (nom) 2004 Broadcast Film Critics Association
Best Young Actor (nom) William Ullrich 2004 Broadcast Film Critics Association
Best Actor - Comedy or Musical (nom) Kevin Spacey 2004 Golden Globe
ABOUT THE DVD: I WISH THERE WERE MORE FEATURES ABOUT DARIN'S LIFE
There is a short featurette with Spacey and members of the cast, but this film needed more due to the heaviness of the topic and the personal interest that was rekindled in Darin by this film.
BOTTOM LINE: A FILM THAT MAKES ONE WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT BOBBY DARIN!
Spacey was sensational, and the entire cast really shined. The soundtrack that Spacey did, standing in for Darin, was both awesome and accurate. This is a film that is honest, and hard-hitting without being melo-dramatic or sappy, which is probably the way Bobby Darin would have wanted it.
Movie Review: Spacey's Loving Tribute to Meteoric Star...
Summary: 5 Stars
Bobby Darin crammed a lot of living into his 37 years, and if he never achieved the pinnacle of stardom he yearned for, he created an unforgettable legacy in an era where, with talent and luck, magic could happen. And Kevin Spacey has captured the magic in this loving film biography!
While far too old for the role (his gaunt features scarcely recall the chubby-faced Italian-American crooner), Spacey, as star and director, shares Darin's passion for perfection, and the film has an electricity that many other recent film bios have lacked. Not only does the film offer a flawless musical performance by Spacey (who worked from Darin's original arrangements), it addresses Darin's personal demons (knowledge he would die young, after childhood rheumatic fever; discovering his 'sister' was, in fact, his mother; seeing the musical world completely change around him; an increasing dependency on drugs) without falling into clichés or relying on modern-day editorializing. Darin embraced life, and this joy makes the film a celebration of the man behind the music.
The highlight of the film is Darin's remarkable, life-long love with Sandra Dee, portrayed to wide-eyed perfection by Kate Bosworth. Dee, totally controlled by her manipulative mother (Greta Scacchi), was as naive as any of her screen heroines, and her pursuit by the amorous pop singer was as funny and wildly romantic as a classic Hollywood musical (a fact not lost on Spacey, who turns the courtship into a terrific singing and dancing production number). Only after their marriage, when Darin's career made him a frequently absentee husband and father, did Dee find increasing solace in a bottle, as her career crumbled...and to both of their credit, Darin and Dee put their careers on hold, to give their son more attention, despite the disastrous effect it had on each of them, professionally.
"Beyond the Sea" offers a first-rate supporting cast, including blustery John Goodman, as loyal manager Steve Blauner, Brenda Blethyn, as Darin's gifted mother/grandmother, and Caroline Aaron and Bob Hoskins, as his sister/mother, and her wise, 'blue collar' husband. Deserving special recognition is young William Ullrich, portraying Darin, as a child, who not only offers a sensitive portrayal, but does a very credible song-and-dance number with Spacey!
Filmed entirely at Germany's Marlene Dietrich Studios (during the frigid winter of 2003), the film perfectly captures the 'look' of New York, Italy, and Las Vegas, with no indication of the financial difficulties Spacey faced during production (causing shooting to be delayed nearly six months).
The final film certainly justifies the hardships; it is on the short list of truly great pop performer biographies, and is a well-deserved triumph for Kevin Spacey!
Movie Review: A terrific film that I enjoyed far more than I expected to
Summary: 5 Stars
Frankly, I did not appreciate Bobby Darin when he was alive. I was too young and didn't quite get what he was about. I had just started paying attention to him when he died in 1973. It is about time someone told his story. By all accounts, Kevin Spacey is a Bobby Darin devotee and it shows in this wonderful and fascinating movie.
First of all, I loved the way the story is told. It is not a narrative, although it talks about the singer's life. It is all about the music and how it came out of his strange youth and how his illness forced him to focus in on what mattered most to him because he never expected to live all that long. Rheumatic Fever as a child had damaged his heart. Of course, the smoking, drinking, and pills along they way didn't help him and he died at 37 after heart surgery.
The movie points out the structure of his life, his early show business inspiration, the rough beginnings, his successes, meeting, wooing, and marrying Sandra Dee. The movie is able to point out the problems in the marriage without becoming dark or making anyone into the bad guy. Again, the emphasis is on the music and the strains that puts on the human side of being human.
Kevin Spacey is clearly too old to play Bobby Darin, but so what? Who else is going to do it? He sure does a great job singing the songs and pulling off the spirit of the guy. To give you an idea of how the story is told, the opening scene has Darin and some guys walking through the kitchen of a club to the stage. Before he gets there some reporter says to Darin that he is too old to be playing himself. Darin then goes through the curtains as the announcer introduces him. Spacey begins singing a great version of "Mack the Knife".
However, somewhere in the middle of the song, when everything is going strong, he sees a little boy (obviously the young Bobby Darin) looking out through the curtains. Darin stops singing and it becomes apparent that this isn't a club, but a movie set for an autobiographical picture of Darin. You can see all the layers and perspectives being set up here. All of them continue to be used with a few more added throughout the film. Do not expect a simple narrative or a single voice being used in the film. There is a lot going on to tell this story and I loved the richness of the thing. For me, telling it this way gets to the truth of the man a lot more than a simple left to right telling of his life. Aren't most of us a lot of things trying to be something else again? Yet, there is a theme to each of us that all those perspectives enrich.
Great job. I enjoyed this far more than I expected to. A real treat.