Jersey Boys

June 20, 2014

Jays Rating:
Actors: /
Director:

Director Clint Eastwood brings a hit musical biography from Broadway to the big screen with the story of the rock group, The Four Seasons. It’s the 1960’s and two friends from New Jersey, Frankie Valli (John Lloyd Young) and Tommy DeVito (Vincent Piazza) put together a musical group called the Lovers while having some minor run-ins with the law. When they bring in singer-song writer Bob Gaudio (Erich Berges), and bass guitarist and singer Nick Massi (Michael Lomenta) they change their name to the Four Seasons and after three number one hits they look like they are on their way to fame and fortune. Unfortunately, after several years they begin to have relationship problems, family tragedies, and Tommy who is supposed to handle the money, doesn’t pay the taxes and gambles a lot of the money away. Frankie had some dealings with the mob in the past, so he goes to Mafia Don Gyp DeCarlo (Christopher Walkin) and borrows enough money to pay off the groups Depts. Now it’s the early seventies and Tommy and Nick leave the group but with Frankie’s talent and Bob songwriting talents, Frankie Valli becomes a sensation with one hit after another. John Lloyd Young is the star of this film with his fantastic singing voice and fabulous acting. Young has the pedigree to star in this film since he won a Tony playing Frankie Valli in the Broadway show. Clint Eastwood made the perfect call by asking most of the main cast to come from Broadway to play several major singing parts instead of Hollywood actors trying to sing. (Can you say Mama Mia?) To improve on the music, Eastwood had all the actors sing live on stage instead of lip sinking and singing their songs in a studio. Last of all, throughout the movie the four main actors talked to the camera to tell a part of their story similar to how they talked to the audience on the Broadway show. The true story about Frankie Valli is very interesting and insightful, but it’s the sound track that sets this movie above a lot of other musicals. (This is the perfect film for a blind movie critic.) I have been singing Frankie Valli tunes ever since the screening and I’m giving this film an A- rating.

This movie has been given an R rating by the MPAA