Jersey Boys
Starring John Lloyd Young, Vincent Piazza
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Jersey Boys has been delighting Broadway audiences and garnering accolades for nearly a decade so it’s easy to see why demand for a big screen version may be tepid. However, if anyone can pull off such baby boomer-satisfying nostalgic charm it’s 84-year old director Clint Eastwood.
The musical drama traces the roots of falsetto-laden Frankie Valli’s singing career and his rise to the top of the charts with New Jersey pop-rock group The Four Seasons in the 1960s. Casting is key and the adaptation’s success works in large part due to the fact that three of the four theatrical performers (including Tony winner John Lloyd Young as Valli) reprise their iconic roles and all sang live during the film’s production.
The decision to include only a handful of recognizable faces, including Christopher Walken and Boardwalk Empire’s Vincent Piazza, allows for more focus on story and singing. The film’s musical numbers are often infectious yet some of the narrative gets bogged down by the formulaic docudrama treatment; it’s just not that compelling watching band members discuss money woes with their accountant.
At times, the movie’s lack of overt stylization may hinder the sometimes slow-paced plot but the straightforward approach allows for a more traditional and even endearing quality that Eastwood was surely striving for. Jersey Boys contains few surprises but its meticulous production design, muted tones and authentic costumes help enhance the wonderful performances; this is a genuine crowd-pleaser for those looking for more than comic book heroes and special effects.
