Think Walk The Line instead of Mamma Mia and you'll get the musical you had in mind

Rating: 6/10 (6 July 2014)

Jersey Boys is getting a really unfair bad rap. Perhaps it's due to being in a similar vein to Goodfellas, maybe it's because the trailers claim it's a musical, or maybe it's because it's directed by the legendary Clint Eastwood. Albeit it's not like we have high standards for Eastwood these days anyway. I'm coming at it here with a different hindsight. My girlfriend is a huge Jersey Boys fan so I knew a lot about it beforehand. I ended up seeing the West End show a week after the film which was much stronger on the stage given its minimalistic design, high energy and smirking personality. The film's closest cousins are music biopics like Walk The Line and Ray with songs performed in front of audiences in the film. If you walk in expecting musical numbers like the blissful one in the epilogue then you'll be disappointed, but the show was never like that in the first place.
Granted, the film isn't a perfect translation of the show. It may lift exact lines but its darker atmosphere takes itself far too seriously for some of the one-liners to earn a chuckle. It still has a sense of humour, but it's not as fun as the show. It's in the nature of a subject like this that harnesses the clichés, and in many cases quite well though it can be on the cusp of cheese. However, that's an idea addressed within the film as you may claim that the original music is on the cusp of cheese but there's a lot more heart to it than expected. It's a story best for the camaraderie between the band during their rise to fame. There's a slow start before Bob Gaudio is introduced, but from then to the peak of the Four Seasons, it's magic. It's fascinating to do a breaking the fourth wall type narration way to approach the story, which the show does as well, but a bad idea to neglect Frankie Valli's portion of the narration.
It's a real shame that its star is the weakest part of the ensemble. John Lloyd Young originated the role of Valli on Broadway and won a Tony for it so you'd think he'd know the character well. Unfortunately he doesn't bring anything to the table here. He's void of charisma, shy of the camera and launches to his theatrical sensibilities for dramatic moments that come off comical. He's a hell of a showman though and his best moments are the musical performances, but that's just due to the voice. He's balanced by Vincent Piazza, the only actor with on-camera experience and he makes everyone else blend into the background. He may not have the sense of humour for Tommy but he has the attitude. Erich Bergen is the only actor who immediately feels like he belongs on screen but he hasn't many moments to shine. He could've easily filled in Michael C. Hall's shoes in Six Feet Under for instance. Michael Lomenda is also good, but needs to grow a little, peaks in his last scene.
Then there's the music. I didn't know much about Valli's music, but it's guaranteed that you know them when you hear them. Sherry, Big Girls Don't Cry, Walk Like A Man, Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You, Rag Doll, What A Night, Who Loves You and more. Terrific iconic songs with a touch of innocence that the film and show put into a tender subtext. I haven't been able to get them out of my head. The film certainly has a good soundtrack selection, though it does omit some great tracks like Beggin' which would have fit just fine. I am still a little confused about why Valli took Tommy's debt and the film is dragged down by a brief misguided and melodramatic subplot with Valli's family but the rise is just such fun. Jersey Boys is decent Eastwood, especially in comparison to his post-Changeling work, and at least above average. Doesn't live up to the show though but that's a pretty tall order.
6/10