Review
BEYOND THE SEA
Starring Kevin Spacey, Kim Bosworth and John Goodman
Co-written and directed by Kevin Spacey
Opens Friday
Globe Cinema
If you decide to go and see the Bobby Darin biopic Beyond the Sea, you’ll leave the theatre with one certainty: Kevin Spacey had the time of his life making this bad movie.
Darin hailed from an era where terms like "entertainer" and "show biz" didn’t have quotation marks around them or make you snicker. As a boy, Darin suffered from rheumatic fever, which left him with a weak heart and permanently short of breath. His prognosis was grim, but he went on to become a teen idol with such hits as "Dream Lover." Later he made an overnight switch to nightclub swinger with his renditions of "Mack the Knife" and "Beyond the Sea." Like Elvis, Darin moved to Hollywood in the ’60s to become an actor. In the later part of his career, he became interested in politics and folk music – quite a varied career for someone who died at age 37.
Given his level of involvement in the film, Spacey must feel some sort of affinity with the singer, who never seemed to find his niche. Spacey shares a producing and writing credit as well as directing the film and playing Darin. Darin was a bit of a smart-ass himself, so Spacey steps into his shoes with ease, especially while performing, impressively doing his own singing. He positively glows, lending style and pizzazz to Darin’s best-known songs, going well beyond simply doing the singer credit. In particular (and fittingly), his performance of "Beyond the Sea" will bring a smile to the most jaded ’50s-phobe.
However Spacey’s brilliance doesn’t make up for the film’s shortcomings. Since the film is told in flashback, one might forgive Spacey’s age, but the 45-year-old is still too old to play Darin. Although I’ve seen worse May-December romances on screen, I got the creeps watching him woo the vapid Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth), who looks about 14 in this film. His love for her is totally incomprehensible. The character of Dee is portrayed as about as psychologically complex as a fern and his interest in her smacks of insincerity. Perhaps Spacey is just not leading-man material – hasn’t his onscreen sexuality always seemed a little troubled?
I understand that Spacey was aiming for an artful telling of the story, and granted, the film has its redeeming qualities. The cinematography, especially in the black-and-white sequences, is lovely. And the fantastical mode of storytelling isn’t always heavy-handed. But having Darin engage in dialogue with his child self is a groaner.
Overall, the film suffers from a simple lack of focus. While the first half engages the viewer with Darin’s bravado and ambition, the film begins to flounder when it should be telling us what is so remarkable about Darin that he deserves a biography. This film is Spacey’s guilty pleasure – and if you admire Bobby Darin as much as he does, you’ll probably love it. |
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