'Jersey' Music

Jersey Boys

So over the last decade, what have we learned about the music industry during the 50’s and 60’s? That’s right ladies and gentlemen, it was very cutthroat. I mean I knew it was hard, but the way films depict it, I’m amazed anyone made music. With the very successful Ray in their film vault, Warner Bros. has decided to get back into the music business with this year’s Jersey Boys.

Based on the Tony-award winning musical of the same name, Jersey Boys takes us on an inside look of the popular music group The Four Seasons. Among their songs showcased in the film include ‘Sherry’, ‘Walk Like A Man’ (personal favorite), and ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’.

I purposely skipped the synopsis of the film because it is the same as every biological film about music/musicians. The beginnings, the rise to fame, the downfall/hardships, and finally the comeback. This is what I think is the biggest downfall of the film. It does nothing to set it apart from previous musical biopics. Walk the Line was more of a love story and Ray was more about the man instead of the music. The film tries to bring in the “Jersey” feel, but the more it tried, the more I felt that people of Jersey in the 50’s and 60’s were very stubborn and prideful. For example, one of the band members digs himself a pretty sizable debt and against the advice of many people, Frankie Valli takes on said debt personally. Why do you ask? Because that is what people from Jersey do.

Apart from all that I thought that it was a pretty good film. I did find it very interesting the trails this lesser known group went through to get to the top. I liked the director’s idea of using stage actors for the roles because I didn’t walk into the film with expectations from big name actors. Because of my lowered expectations, I was very pleasantly surprised with the quality of acting, along with the actors singing. John Lloyd Young, who plays Valli on stage and now on screen, does a great job portraying Valli as a guy just wanting to sing. Another actor that stood out was Vincent Piazza (Boardwalk Empire). I mention Piazza for two reasons. First, because he shows the audience that Jersey ‘stubbornness’ I mentioned, very well. Second because Piazza has been marvelous on Boardwalk Empire for a while and it’s good Piazza is getting exposed to a broader audience.

Sitting in the director’s chair for this biopic is the legendary Clint Eastwood (no not me). Unfortunately for Eastwood fans this isn’t his best. Eastwood’s pacing of the film fluctuates a lot and seems to never find a balance. Eastwood does, however, get the most of his unknown cast and gives the audience a good feeling of the 60’s music scene.

For those of you that may know the songs but didn’t know the group, this film gives a ‘face’ to the voices. Even with my limited music knowledge, I was surprised by some of the songs they sang (i.e. ‘December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)’).

Verdict: Watch on Blu-Ray (Or if you are lucky, see it on stage)