I am a big fan of both Kevin Spacey and Bobby Darin. IMHO, Kevin gave it a great try in portraying Bobby Darin. But one that was lacking.
Spacy has a fine voice; and he is an excellent actor. But, in this case there were a few critical things missing in his game effort to act, direct and assist in the writing of "Beyond the Sea". Bobby Darin had a rare combination of qualities in his persona. He had certain swagger; a very natural charisma, looseness and cool-- and also an intensity, humor and confidence that came off in performing as both singer and actor. You can even hear these qualities when just listening to the great crooner. And although he was always a sickly kid, Darin was from the Bronx. He was a boy who knew the streets and that element was always there too; as well as that Bronx accent that also stamped his persona. Kevin didn't have any of these elements going very well for him. He seemed stiff in comparison to the singer/actor Bobby Darin who I remembered so well and still love to see in films from time to time. I think the role needed to be played by an actor with a little more electricity. One person that comes to mind is Johnny Depp, who probably could have sung the role, but surely had that inner fire and charisma that Darin had. I'm not saying that Spacey had to do an impersonation. But in a biopic like this a with a very recognizable figure, you need to capture the qualities that made that person compelling.
I think too that the format of the older Darin going back in time helped to justify the much older looking Spacey playing against the beautiful and youthful Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth) but more than his age, Spacey didn't have the charisma to make it believable that Sandra would fall for him. Case in point, no matter how old he was, a charismatic actor like Cary Grant would have oozed the charm to make anyone of any age fall form him. Although, Darin did not have the looks of Cary Grant, he, like his idol Frank Sinatra (who was also not a truly handsome man but still drew women like white on rice), was the type of man who had a very natural romantic appeal, which Kevin does not in this film. The roles that Spacey has been most compelling in have usually been less romantic roles and more about disaffected outsiders like his roles in American Beauty, cynical wise-guys in "L.A. Confidential" or down right mercenary types in "Glenn Gary Glenn Ross". Ironically, I think that these are the very same roles that Darin himself would have loved to have played.
The screenplay had the look of something that had been worked on and rewritten so many times to suit a variety of stars and/or directors that like a game of telephone, it had lost it's way from the original intention and through-line.
The cast is excellent and everyone in it looks like they are giving it their all. But the directing, also by Spacey, seems to suffer from the same stiffness that makes even this great cast seem a little forced or artificial at times. This as a first time directing job for Spacey is no easy task. To combine it with acting in it as well, was imho too much to take on.
I can't blame the man for trying to do what seems to be a real labor of love. It is obvious that he loved Bobby Darin and really had a real ambition to not only bring the story to screen, but to portray the Darin as well. Coming off of a string of great successes and now having the clout to pull off a project like this; I commend Kevin for taking a risk. But effort is no guarantee of success. As much as I respect and am a continued fan of Kevin Spacey's work, I think this film just falls a little flat. At best, it may inspire people to check out Darin. He was an amazing singer/songwriter and a very compelling actor who always challenged himself to strike out in new territory. See his performances in "Captain Newman, MD", "Hell is for Heroes" and most especially, "Pressure Point". In each film he plays off of and holds his own with some of the greatest film actors of the time, Gregory Peck, Steve McQueen and Sidney Poitier to name a few. He proved that he could be successful in all film genres from romantic comedies, musicals to war pictures and intense dramas. He was nominated for one Oscar and at least five Golden Globes for his acting alone. And of course his music speaks for itself as we still often hear him on radio, TV and film.
Spacy has a fine voice; and he is an excellent actor. But, in this case there were a few critical things missing in his game effort to act, direct and assist in the writing of "Beyond the Sea". Bobby Darin had a rare combination of qualities in his persona. He had certain swagger; a very natural charisma, looseness and cool-- and also an intensity, humor and confidence that came off in performing as both singer and actor. You can even hear these qualities when just listening to the great crooner. And although he was always a sickly kid, Darin was from the Bronx. He was a boy who knew the streets and that element was always there too; as well as that Bronx accent that also stamped his persona. Kevin didn't have any of these elements going very well for him. He seemed stiff in comparison to the singer/actor Bobby Darin who I remembered so well and still love to see in films from time to time. I think the role needed to be played by an actor with a little more electricity. One person that comes to mind is Johnny Depp, who probably could have sung the role, but surely had that inner fire and charisma that Darin had. I'm not saying that Spacey had to do an impersonation. But in a biopic like this a with a very recognizable figure, you need to capture the qualities that made that person compelling.
I think too that the format of the older Darin going back in time helped to justify the much older looking Spacey playing against the beautiful and youthful Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth) but more than his age, Spacey didn't have the charisma to make it believable that Sandra would fall for him. Case in point, no matter how old he was, a charismatic actor like Cary Grant would have oozed the charm to make anyone of any age fall form him. Although, Darin did not have the looks of Cary Grant, he, like his idol Frank Sinatra (who was also not a truly handsome man but still drew women like white on rice), was the type of man who had a very natural romantic appeal, which Kevin does not in this film. The roles that Spacey has been most compelling in have usually been less romantic roles and more about disaffected outsiders like his roles in American Beauty, cynical wise-guys in "L.A. Confidential" or down right mercenary types in "Glenn Gary Glenn Ross". Ironically, I think that these are the very same roles that Darin himself would have loved to have played.
The screenplay had the look of something that had been worked on and rewritten so many times to suit a variety of stars and/or directors that like a game of telephone, it had lost it's way from the original intention and through-line.
The cast is excellent and everyone in it looks like they are giving it their all. But the directing, also by Spacey, seems to suffer from the same stiffness that makes even this great cast seem a little forced or artificial at times. This as a first time directing job for Spacey is no easy task. To combine it with acting in it as well, was imho too much to take on.
I can't blame the man for trying to do what seems to be a real labor of love. It is obvious that he loved Bobby Darin and really had a real ambition to not only bring the story to screen, but to portray the Darin as well. Coming off of a string of great successes and now having the clout to pull off a project like this; I commend Kevin for taking a risk. But effort is no guarantee of success. As much as I respect and am a continued fan of Kevin Spacey's work, I think this film just falls a little flat. At best, it may inspire people to check out Darin. He was an amazing singer/songwriter and a very compelling actor who always challenged himself to strike out in new territory. See his performances in "Captain Newman, MD", "Hell is for Heroes" and most especially, "Pressure Point". In each film he plays off of and holds his own with some of the greatest film actors of the time, Gregory Peck, Steve McQueen and Sidney Poitier to name a few. He proved that he could be successful in all film genres from romantic comedies, musicals to war pictures and intense dramas. He was nominated for one Oscar and at least five Golden Globes for his acting alone. And of course his music speaks for itself as we still often hear him on radio, TV and film.