Name of film – Jersey Boys (2014)
Lizard film – 016
Chosen by – Jones
Date – August 2018
Director – Clint Eastwood
Starring – John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, Michael Lomenda, Vincent Piazza, Christopher Walken
Duration – 134 mins
Genre – Musical, Drama
Summary –
From director Clint Eastwood comes the story of four young men from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who came together to form the iconic ’60s rock group Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Their trials and triumphs are accompanied by the hit songs that influenced a generation: “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Dawn,” “Rag Doll,” “Bye Bye Baby” and many more. John Lloyd Young (reprising his Tony Award®-winning portrayal of lead singer Frankie Valli), Erich Bergen (songwriter Bob Gaudio), Michael Lomenda (Nick Massi) and Vincent Piazza (Tommy DeVito) play The Four Seasons, and Christopher Walken stars as mobster Gyp DeCarlo.
DREYER’S SCORE & REVIEW
ACTING – 8
DIRECTING – 8
SCORE/AUDIO – 10
CINEMATOGRAPHY – 8
ENTERTAINMENT – 8
TOTAL – 42/50 = 84% ****
Review to follow…
MASHITER’S SCORE & REVIEW
ACTING – 10
DIRECTING – 8
SCORE/AUDIO – 8
CINEMATOGRAPHY – 8
ENTERTAINMENT – 8
TOTAL – 42/50 = 84% ****
Christopher Walker eh? He’s just got it hasn’t he. The guy exudes menace and from earlier outings in films such as The Dead Zone and Deer Hunter in which he was a fresh faced but brilliant young actor, he has since really developed that mob leader persona that came across brilliantly in films such as True Romance, Things To Do In Denver and King of New York. Like DeNiro his choice in films hasn’t always been the best (Hairspray) but this movie part was made for him and I loved watching him.
What was even more amazing was the fact that his performance was only my third favourite in the whole movie. John Lloyd Young (Frankie Valli ) and Vincent Piazza (Tommy DeVito) were cast perfectly and we’re both absolutely superb and so believable. So much so I’ve gone for a 10. With three performances like that I don’t even need to think about the other actors.
I enjoyed the way the story was told and it was this narrative along with some of the dialogue, especially early on in the film, that put me in mind of Goodfellas: Vincent Piazza playing a less psychotic but equally flammable Joe Pesci. The cinematography wasn’t in the hands of a Scorsese and lacked innovation but did it really need it? Probably not. The director just let the story and the music do the work. Young crooned on stage as Frankie Valli; much like a young Rob Dreyer but only in appearance. This guy was definitely no ten thumbed, tone deaf, talentless noise polluter and had a real presence on stage; riffling through the hits faster than we used to go through Jabba’s ASDA shopping bags of a Sunday afternoon.
The score wasn’t to my taste at all but how can you really knock it-these were classics after all and the songs were well chosen and interwoven into the fabric of the story-showing where their inspiration came from or titles were stolen from.
Of course the rollercoaster rock’n’roll lifestyle plummets to many depths as well as enjoying the high life, much like a double-helix. The downs were incredibly touching; the death of his daughter was tragic as the viewer realised Valli never knew her-too busy paying off the huge debt he owed by covering every type of concert and cabaret around the country. Some fine ladies also came and went and you could feel the loneliness this lifestyle was having on him. A good honest guy, perhaps with slightly skewered family values but as time rolled on the weight of it all seemed to noticeably crush him.
As music films go I absolutely love Walk the Line and 24 Hour Party People. Mainly because I adore the original story behind the films and love the characters involved. I had no idea about the background of the boys from Jersey or their subsequent story but I enjoyed it greatly. Not as much as these two mentioned but sitting somewhere between them and films like Control and Spinal Tap. Would I watch it again? Maybe. I’ll definitely be recommending it to lots of different people though. A very good choice lizards.
ACTING 90%
DIRECTING 80%
SCORE/AUDIO 90%
CINEMATOGRAPHY 80%
ENTERTAINMENT 80%
TOTAL SCORE 84%
(RD – 84% MM – 84%)
**** LIZARDMAN RATING OF 4 STARS ****
Lizardman Film Club 