After making noteworthy contributions to the western, sport biopic, political drama, war film and crime thriller genres, the eclectic directing career of Clint Eastwood has lead him to a musical. His choice was a screen adaptation of stage musical Jersey Boys, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons that has remained consistently popular since its Broadway debut in 2005.
Deciding against casting well-known stars, Eastwood instead stayed true to cast members familiar with the role from its stage productions, most notably John Lloyd Young, whose lead as Valli, which he reprises for the film, won him the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical in 2006. A host of familiar HBO faces are included, notably Boardwalk Empire’s Vincent Piazza, The Soprano’s Steve Schirripa and James Madio from Band of Brothers. Christopher Walken, as his usual, unintentionally hilarious self, adds a much needed gravitas as mob boss Gyp DeCarlo.
For those that have seen the stage show, or are fans of the band’s work, songs such as Sherry Baby, Big Girls Don’t Cry and Walk Like a Man need no introduction. They are the perfect distraction from what is, at heart, a fairly ordinary story. The odd thing about the original stage production - a problem now exacerbated in the film - is that theirs isn’t a story particularly worth telling. They made some catchy songs, were a big part of Jersey’s culture (as the title suggests) and earned a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But were they revolutionary or groundbreaking? No. Was their story particularly different or interesting when compared with at least a dozen other bands of the time? Not really.
Whereas the over-the-top production and enjoyability of the songs paper that crack on stage, the world of film is far less forgiving. The opening 45 minutes of Jersey Boys plods along rather formulaically, simply setting up a justifiable context within which we can sit and listen to Can’t Take My Eyes Off You a couple of times. By all accounts, John Lloyd Young was astounding as Frankie Valli on stage (as was Ryan Molloy in the West End production), but on screen he lacks the charisma and presence that differentiates great screen performances from great stage ones.
It’s not that it isn’t enjoyable, it’s an entertaining enough jaunt for two hours. But it presents an unsolvable problem for its two potential types of viewers. If you have seen the stage show, the film adds nothing new whatsoever, and simply re-tells the same story using the same techniques (actors breaking away from the scene and addressing the audience with their version of events). If you haven’t, the film is so theatrical – right up to the horrendous finale, during which the entire cast dance down the street together - you’d wonder why you didn’t just go see the stage show.
Jersey Boys will be showing at Broadway cinema until Thursday 3 July
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