Beyond the Sea (2004)

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Beyond the Sea is a passion project Kevin Spacey has been trying to make for years. Here he finally gets the chance to tell the life story of legendary singer Bobby Darin. Acting as both the star and the director, Spacey gives tells us the story of Darin from his childhood years all the way to his untimely death at a young age. While Spacey is the perfect actor to portray Darin, he isn't the best director for the film, making many poor choices in terms of storytelling and plot structure. The story of Beyond the Sea starts with Bobby Darin trying to make a feature film about his own life. The only problem is that he's a perfectionist with a temper when something doesn't go the way he wants it. Darin is approached by the actor playing his younger self and is told that the film is all wrong and that he needs to start from the very beginning to tell his story. From this point, we learn about Darin's ill childhood and how he was inspired by his grandmother to have a career in music. We then follow his rise from a small town hit to a teen music icon with the hit "Splish Splash." Darin is now a star and goes into movies, falling in love with his soon to be wife, Sandra Dee. This is where we start to see the fall of an idol as Darin lets his dream of being the world's biggest star consume him and everyone around. The plot unfolds differently because of the film within a film element Spacey uses. Darin recounts his life story to the audience, intercutting between the past, present, and future. The choice to tell the story this way is the biggest detriment to the film. It's actually pretty confusing chronologically when things are happening. The film within a film element is presented at the beginning of the film but is merely alluded to throughout which makes the timeline vague and confusing. We don't really know which parts of the plot are part of the fictional film or the real film. There is also the presentation of a child actor playing Darin as a kid in the film, but he also acts as a part of Darin's mind, almost like a vision that interacts with him. The kid's part in the film is also pretty confusing and is an element that is unneeded to tell the story. The music here is excellent as we listen to the career hits of Darin. Spacey is a great singer and practically sings every song better than Darin himself. Most songs are done in a sequence on stage or in a kind of music video format. The production that went into each song paid off very well as the choreography, scenery, and costumes are superb. Highlights include "Splish Splash", "Beyond the Sea", and "Simple Song of Freedom". The acting is the biggest draw of the film, especially Kevin Spacey in the lead role. Spacey was perfectly cast as he uses his immense talent as both an actor and singer to capture Darin's life. The only negative from his casting is that Spacey is a 45-year-old trying to play a rising star in their early 20's. Spacey definitely looks older than he should, but it's not a big distraction as he is the only person who could portray Darin this well. Kate Bosworth is also good as his wife and actress Sandra Dee. We see her character arc evolve as she goes from a young emerging actress to a wife stuck in a dilemma between her family and career. A supporting role by Bob Hoskins is also a pleasant watch as he assumes the role of Darin's father figure. John Goodman slots in with a small supporting role, but doesn't add anything new or exciting to the overall story. While his role isn't well written or directed, William Ullrich as Darin's younger self is quite enjoyable to watch as he sings and dances with immense talent.Beyond the Sea is a well acted, but poorly directed film that tries too hard to distance itself from other biopic films. The amazing song and dance numbers can't hide a dreadfully constructed plot that is confusing to follow and hard to enjoy. Kevin Spacey still has a gleaming career as an actor left for him and he should stick solely to that before his work as a director gets him in trouble.

Kevin Spacey did a phenomenal job - the singing was amazing! I did not know about Bobby Darin until I watched this, or that he was married to Sandra Dee, and this was a great story of their love, struggles, and the immense pain of discovering untruths mid-life that have altered his perception of his identity and relationships his entire life. I think this is also a foretelling of the many dual-fame relationships that struggle and often fail when both people are in that Hollywood scene. I give him a lot of credit for not allowing ego to ruin him, but taking the time to explore his soul and understand himself and the legacy he wanted to leave. So many people, some who live a lot longer than he did, never really take that time for self-analysis and reflection. I am happy Kevin Spacey made this movie and paid such a wonderful tribute to a man who lived through immense changes in our country.

It might had bomb at the Box Office, when it came out in 2004, but for me, I found the movie to be, very good. It's a guilty pleasure of mine. Directed by Kevin Spacey, the film chronicles, Bobby Darin (Kevin Spacey) determination to rise from his working class roots as Walden Robert Cassotto, a frail Bronx boy plagued by multiple bouts of rheumatic fever, to his rise of one of the top lounge singer of his era, to his downfall to grace. The movie tells the story of Bobby Darin in a very interesting new way. Rather than providing a straightforward biography, the film weaves fantasy sequences with scenes containing somewhat fictionalized accounts of events in Bobby Darin's life. Throughout the film, the adult singer interacts with his younger self and even goes off into a musical sequence. Does Characters break into joyful song at the most inopportune moments? At times, yes, but you'll find yourself, singing along with his song hits, like "Splish Splash", "Mack the Knife", "Dream Lover" and yes, 'Beyond the Sea". I like a movie that doesn't take itself, too serious. The movie was really trying to go for the cool factor. Did it work? I thought so, but I do wish the movie was little more focus on the story than gimmicky up the movie to make it, watchable. It felt like 2004's De-Lovely," the story of Cole Porter' with its framing. This has been Kevin Spacey's dream project and for the most part, he did it well, both in directing and starring. About Kevin Spacey being too old for the part; I have to agree, it was a bit jarring, but it didn't take me out of the film. Darin died at the age of 37 while Spacey at the time of filming was 45. The film didn't hide that fact, from the audience. They showcase, the obvious age difference right from the outset, with a bizarre setup in which Kevin Spacey is supposed to be Bobby Darin as an older man playing himself as a younger man. It's very odd, but got my attention. Spacey's acting is hit and miss. Yes, there is that overused persona of the sarcastic and sardonic wise guy in this with cheesy dialogue, but then, there is Bobby Darin, back from the death. He really looks like Bobby Darin in the looks department. It's very uncanny. In the film, Kevin Spacey wasn't lip-synching. He was the one singing all the tunes. Yes, Spacey's singing is nowhere near as good as Darin's, but he was alright for the most part. He does have a musical background, being in stage productions of The Sound of Music & Lost in Yonkers. Not only that, he was a big fan of Bobby Darin; so you can know he can sing his songs. He also proves light enough on his feet to contribute to the film's many dance numbers. It's even more evidence of how awesome, Kevin Spacey is. Kate Bosworth as actress, Sandra Dee wasn't that memorable. She cannot bring emotions to the surface. She's by far, the weakest link of the film. The supporting cast does well like Bob Hoskins, John Goodman and others, but their parts are too small to tell, if they giving it, their all. Beyond the Sea rides on how much the audience knows about Bobby Darin. Since Darin's career is short-lived to dying at the age of 37. Not a lot of people might see this film. I have to say, they should. The film does scan through his life, as if reading bullet points, but there is enough twist and turns to keep it, very interesting and entertaining. About the historic accuracy, it's somewhat fiction, somewhat non-fiction. Example: The song, "Beyond The Sea," was recorded many years prior to Bobby's relationship with Sandra Dee. Is Bobby Darin, an egotistical, fame-hungry, man like the movie portray him as? Probably, but it's does show a good side of Darin, as well. I like movies that able to do that, show he's faults and goods. At least, the real life people around Bobby Darin's life, like daughter, Dodd Darin, wife Sandra Dee and former Darin manager Steve Blauner like the film and through it was a great performance. Overall: It's an excellent tribute by a fan, for fans of Bobby Darin, but for the outsiders looking in. They might not get it and sadly, I wish the movie work, more on that, because that is what Bobby Darin deserve. A good overall movie; not a alright movie like this.

"Kevin Spacey as Bobby Darin?" I shook my head in disbelief. THEN, I remembered what an outstanding job Gary Busey did as Buddy Holly. So, I decided to give this one a chance. Boy! Am I glad! "Beyond the Sea" works on EVERY level. informative biography, sublimely entertaining musical, innovative fantasy and strong drama. Since this was Spacey's "pet project" for years, I'm sure he would have preferred filming it when he was younger. However, Spacey's solution is brilliant; by making the story a flashback, after Darin was aging and in poor health, I could accept Spacey, since he is portraying Darin's life as Darin REMEMBERS it; and, like most of us, Darin remembers his life as he is at the end of it.The cast is uniformly excellent, though I would have preferred Monica Potter over Kate Bosworth as Sandra Dee. While, at a distance, Bosworth resembles Dee, Monica Potter resembles Dee as well as Spacey does Darin.While Spacey is not the accomplished vocalist Darin was, who is? Certainly Spacey acquits himself wonderfully acting, singing AND dancing. The dance routines are especially inspired, as Spacey displays such energy, it is easy to forget his age. When I remembered Spacey is also directing this film, I can only marvel at his talent.Altogether the most satisfying musical biography I've seen, I give "Beyond the Sea" a "10".