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Beyond the Sea

Review by: Sophia Boccard

SophiaBoccard@TheCinemaSource.com

From the moment I heard his music, I fell in love with Bobby Darin. During the 1960's and 70's, Bobby Darin graced the stage with his unusual talent and charm. Dean Martin and Chuck Berry were two others who, along with talent, had the same kind of presence as Darin. Once onstage, the electricity that ran through the audience from the performers' chemistry was nothing short of a magnetic force. Many of today's celebrities and stars are lacking that magic that once graced the screens and stages and was once a significant aspect of classic Hollywood film. Yet, through the dense mass of today's mediocre celebrities, one versatile actor shines above all the others. His name is Kevin Spacey, a.k.a. Bobby Darin. From Bogart, Astaire, Stewart and Grant, these actors were not only multifaceted and dynamic, they were also instant icons because of their individual magic. Spacey proves he belongs in this elite group of actors.

Beyond the Sea shows the side of Bobby Darin the public never knew about. At the age of seven Bobby had rheumatic fever that predetermined an earlier death. Bobby's mother Polly (Brenda Blethyn) and his older sister Nina (Caroline Aaron) take care and introduce him to the world of music. Bobby, along with his best friend turned manager Steve Blauner (John Goodman) works his way up towards stardom from singing at local café's to performing in Las Vegas. After scoring a hit at the age of 22 with Splish Splash, he skyrocketed to instant fame. This starts the trend of successes with hit singles like Mack the Knife and Beyond the Sea along with Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in Captain Newman MD. Bobby also successfully manages to marry Hollywood's sweetheart Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth). Behind the glamour and glitter there was a darker tale once shielded from the public. By the late 1960's Bobby leaves home and becomes a political activist seeking new meaning to life. His new style and music disappoint his fans leading him to seek encouragement from his family and friends. By the early 1970's Bobby's childhood illness began to catch up to him causing him to slow down.

Kevin Spacey sizzled onscreen as the legendary Bobby Darin. Spacey, who also brilliantly directed and co-wrote the film, realized that the only way to bring Darin back into the world of entertainment, he needed to reinvent him. By directing spectacular music montages and coordinating great dance sequences, he created a different perspective on the life of Bobby Darin. The use of Kate Bosworth as Sandra Dee was both charming and effective and Caroline Aaron was fantastic. She had

such presence in this film as the cocky outspoken sister of Bobby Darin. Even with a remarkable cast including John Goodman, Bob Hoskins, and Brenda Blethyn, the star who stole the show was William Ullrich, who played young Bobby Darin. He was never stuck in the back, but rather matched the same stage presence as Kevin Spacey.

I would spend more time evaluating the brilliant cast but I have to say that the music was the most important part of the film. I guarantee, if you decide to see the film and you actually do not like Bobby Darin's music, you will not like the film. But if you decide to see it and try to get an appreciation for music from the 1960's, then you'll love it. Songs like Beyond the Sea, Dream Lover, Simple Song of Freedom and Mack the Knife were all sung by the great Kevin Spacey, who I must admit sounded a lot like Mr. Darin himself. Nevertheless, in recreating the life of Bobby Darin, I was able to see how memories are really like moonbeams"¦we are able to create fantasies out of realities.

I think my deepest respect for this movie came when I realized that it was made for the love of Bobby Darin. Because music was outside of time and illness, Bobby was able to alter his destiny which was to live a short life. Bobby had the charisma, the voice, and even the magic needed to light up a stage"¦To sum up, he had “It”. And while he has always been a part of my life, “his legacy [will] continue to marvel everyone in touch with [him].”

Movie Grade: A-