The theme continues as I dive into crooner films. Listening to "The Sound of the Strip" I frequently heard songs sung by Bobby Darin. I had a passing familiarity with the name, but really didn’t know anything about the man. His songs were always filled with personality from ad-libs during the song to his little chats with the audience, not to mention a great set of pipes to belt out those notes. Intrigued by this talent, I decided to check out his biopic film Beyond the Sea.
This film had a lot going against it right out the gate. Kevin Spacey writing, directing, producing and starring in the film reeked of vanity project which many critics voiced. The screenplay went through so many revisions and screen writers that the WGA had to arbitrate on the crediting. Also, it came out mere months after two spectacular music biopics, Ray and De-Lovely. In spite of all this, it did a great job of bringing Bobby Darin’s tale to a whole new audience.
One of the film’s saving graces (or major failings, depending on who you ask) was Spacey’s decision to record his own vocals. I felt like he did an amazing job of not only sounding like Darin, but capturing the essence of his showmanship in the tunes. The supporting cast is surprisingly star studded with John Goodman, Bob Hoskins and Kate Bosworth joining in on the fun. As much as I didn’t want to, I found myself comparing it heavily with De-Lovely. Both tales are about prolific, talented musicians who had very troubled lives. In De-Lovely, Kevin Kline was Cole Porter, oozing the man with every look, gesture and song. Kevin Spacey, on the other hand, looked like he was having a ball playing Darin, but fell short of becoming the man. He was more a rabid fan in the throes of wish fulfillment than an actor bringing the character to life.
I’m not knocking the performance completely, but I had a hard time believing it was Darin and forgetting it was Spacey on the screen. That coupled with the method in which the movie unfolds made suspension of disbelief especially difficult. Fantasy sequences, flashbacks intertwined with present time and references to it all being a movie didn’t gel well (as opposed to The Life and Death of Peter Sellers which pulled it off beautifully), instead jarring me out of the story and making me question what was happening on the screen.
Storytelling quirks aside, Spacey’s performance had a strength and charisma befitting the late singer. He was every bit as brash, arrogant and unwavering as Darin was in his heyday. There were several flashes of greatness in the film, teasing you with what it could have been in another director’s hands or if Spacey had done the role much earlier in life. In the end no one really has the balls to make films like this anymore so I have to give Spacey the credit he deserves for being tenacious enough to chase this project for 17+ years.
With its numerous flaws and bad timing, it didn’t do well at the box office with the studios labeling it a flop. It’s definitely not in my top selections for music pics or Spacey flicks, but I could see myself dipping back into this flawed little gem to enjoy its heartfelt music and flashes of greatness.
Has anyone else seen this battered underdog of a film? Am I far off base or right on the money?
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