Jersey Boys - Review

Jersey Boys – Review

Based on the Tony Award Winning Musical, “Jersey Boys” is the big screen adaptation of the story of 4 young men from NJ who came from relative obscurity to eventually being responsible for writing and performing some of the most popular and iconic songs of the 1960’s, 1970 and 1980’s.

Known more popularly as “Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons”, Jersey Boys essentially weaves a rags to riches tale of triumphs, defeats, tragedy, loan sharks, mob bosses, organized crime, failed marriages, back room deals, cigar smoked filled lounges, jail cells, business managers, wild parties, deceit, forgiveness and great songs.

What bothered somewhat about this film is that Director Clint Eastwood, wanted thematically to have his cake and eat it too. He wanted to convey the risk that some of the decisions the group made could potentially be dire, but takes his foot off the pedal so to speak by injecting the aura of mobsters and loan sharks who from my perspective came across less of a threat and more like day care teachers minus the violence who still nonetheless just so happens to have guns. Case and point, Christopher Walken who plays mobster Angel De Carlo seemed more as a warm cozy avuncular type character who would have been more suited as some spiritual self-help advisor than actually someone to actually be fearful of. It’s through this and other roller coaster periods of the film disjointed execution that it felt a bit like a pedestrian tale, a TNT-ish movie of the week, something conventional, safe, predictable and sweet with a beautiful and glossy set to look at.

Now, there are a few good moments in the film where the story line is crisp and exciting, even soring and brilliantly funny. But eventually the film would always come down back to its own “safe” establish orbit involving these 4 men and in the processed being weighed down by their endless series of infighting, jealously and petty arguments.

Jersey Boys is OK and it has its heart in the right place, it’s that I was expecting a little something more. Instead I got for my 2 hours a lot of great songs that I readily remembered and even knew all the words to. But in the end, I realize that instead of going to the theatre to see this movie about 4 men and their great music I could of heard all of these songs on YouTube for free.

Ultimately, It’s a decent enough entertaining rental.

3 stars