Next came BEYOND THE SEA.
Well, Bobby Darin is obviously someone Kevin Spacey admired, and that does come through the film. He loved the man.
But as writer-director-producer of this film, its weaknesses as a film have to be placed purely on his doorstep, and there are many.
Start with the motif for the film, like DE-LOVELY, the biographical subject making a production of his life story. I LOATHE this approach to biographies (older Darin talking to himself as a kid, what a joke). Bobby Darin had an interesting enough life that didn't need this flashy but hackneyed approach.
Spacey can sing the songs. What he can't do is STYLE the songs in a way that captures the spark, verve, and elan that Bobby Darin brought to all his music. Spacey is an excellent character actor, but what he doesn't have is charisma, and someone portraying Bobby Darin needs an outsized personality which SPacey simply doesn't have. Despite losing weight, he's also still too beefy and tall to represent Darin. I just never for an instant bought him as the man.
I thought all the casting was weak frankly. Carolyn Aaron looked to be about the same age as Kevin Spacey so how could we buy her as his mother? (Even Brenda Blethyn seemed too young as his "mother"/grandmother.) Kate Bosworth was no patch on Sandra Dee.
I did like Rob Ashford's three big production numbers, particularly "Beyond the Sea" and "That's All" which had a big movie musical feel and panache to them, something the book scenes of the film could have used tremendously.
So, glad I saw it, but I don't ever want to see it again. I'll play my Darin LPs and CD when I want the real thing.
