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Craig Younkin
Movie Review
Beyond the Sea
By Craig Younkin Published December 30, 2004
US Release: December 17, 2004
Directed by: Kevin Spacey
Starring: Kevin Spacey , Kate Bosworth , John Goodman
PG-13
Running Time: 121 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $6,144,806
Directed by: Kevin Spacey
Starring: Kevin Spacey , Kate Bosworth , John Goodman
PG-13
Running Time: 121 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $6,144,806
C-
A by-the-numbers bio that offers very little reason why it should exist in the first place.
If someone is a true musical talent, does that make him or her any more worthy of recognition in a Hollywood movie? This question has come up at least twice for me this year, once with "Ray" and now with "Beyond the Sea,? the Bobby Darin bio-picture. The answer to both films has been a huge no, but only one thing separates them. "Ray" was tolerable because of a grand disappearing-act performance by Jamie Foxx, whereas "Beyond the Sea" is just Kevin Spacey's chance to indulge in a childhood hero.
He directs this film and also stars as the singer of the tunes, Mack the Knife and Beyond the Sea. When we first meet up with Darin he is putting together a fictional movie based on his life. He begins the story from his home in the Bronx where he learned how to sing and dance from his mother. Darin was diagnosed with illness at a young age (and his health only deteriorated with age), but music was his salvation and it was what got him out of the Bronx and on towards Hollywood. His first hit was Splish Splash, which made a huge splash with the teen crowd. He wanted bigger, though: movies, nightclubs, beating box office records set by Sinatra ? the whole caboodle.
This is "Beyond the Sea," a by-the-numbers bio that offers very little reason why it should really exist in the first place. The film shows us how much love Spacey has for his subject but also shows how constant romanticism can test a viewer's patience. Spacey knocks off Bobby Darin's greatest hits one by one, but strings them all together with melodramatic material like Darin's sickness, his odd relationship with his sister, and the staple of everyone of these bio-pictures ? the conflict between the traveling singer and the lonely and neglected wife (Kate Bosworth). Spacey plays all of this to look important, but slumping in your chair by the halfway point you realize that even a talented guy like he can't lift it above being a TV movie.
In all fairness Spacey at least does a nice job with the song and dance numbers. He sings Darin's songs very well and the dance choreography is energetic enough to hold your attention. But Spacey seems to want to put Darin's whole song list into the movie, which by the fifth song starts to get tiresome. This is a really long and boring movie that serves very little purpose other than to pay tribute to an idol. Fans may dig it but I'm sure many others will just scratch their heads and wonder what all the fuss is about.
He directs this film and also stars as the singer of the tunes, Mack the Knife and Beyond the Sea. When we first meet up with Darin he is putting together a fictional movie based on his life. He begins the story from his home in the Bronx where he learned how to sing and dance from his mother. Darin was diagnosed with illness at a young age (and his health only deteriorated with age), but music was his salvation and it was what got him out of the Bronx and on towards Hollywood. His first hit was Splish Splash, which made a huge splash with the teen crowd. He wanted bigger, though: movies, nightclubs, beating box office records set by Sinatra ? the whole caboodle.
This is "Beyond the Sea," a by-the-numbers bio that offers very little reason why it should really exist in the first place. The film shows us how much love Spacey has for his subject but also shows how constant romanticism can test a viewer's patience. Spacey knocks off Bobby Darin's greatest hits one by one, but strings them all together with melodramatic material like Darin's sickness, his odd relationship with his sister, and the staple of everyone of these bio-pictures ? the conflict between the traveling singer and the lonely and neglected wife (Kate Bosworth). Spacey plays all of this to look important, but slumping in your chair by the halfway point you realize that even a talented guy like he can't lift it above being a TV movie.
In all fairness Spacey at least does a nice job with the song and dance numbers. He sings Darin's songs very well and the dance choreography is energetic enough to hold your attention. But Spacey seems to want to put Darin's whole song list into the movie, which by the fifth song starts to get tiresome. This is a really long and boring movie that serves very little purpose other than to pay tribute to an idol. Fans may dig it but I'm sure many others will just scratch their heads and wonder what all the fuss is about.
Craig's Grade: C-
Craig's Overall Grading: 340 graded movies
| A | 10.9% | |
| B | 41.8% | |
| C | 31.8% | |
| D | 15.3% | |
| F | 0.3% |
