REVIEW — “Jersey Boys”

“Jersey Boys”, Directed by Clint Eastwood, is the film adaptation of the long running Broadway show by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. Jersey Boys tells the story of how the the Four Seasons got together in their New Jersey town and managed to make it big. Tommy DeVito (Vincent Piazza), Nick Massi (Michael Lomenda) and Frankie Castelluccio (John Lloyd Young) play in a local band and are favored by the local mob boss (Christopher Walken).  They get plenty of local gigs but can’t quite seem to make it out of their town. However, their success skyrockets after the addition of Bob Gauido (Erich Bergen) who not only sings and plays piano, but knows how to write a hit record.

Brickman and Elice worked with Eastwood to write the screenplay. Much of the music in the Broadway Musical was swapped out for more dialogue to make it more film friendly. Jersey Boys almost feels more like a music biopic more than a Broadway adaptation. However, the one thing that keeps the “Broadway” feeling alive is that the characters frequently break the fourth wall. These moments are so delightful and its where each of the characters shine the most.

Jersey Boys is full of eye candy for those who like mid century anything. Clint Eastwood has a history of successfully executing period pieces and this one is no exception. The sets and the costumes are impeccable. All of these things combined with the soaring ballads and Frankie Valli’s beautiful falsetto voice are transportive.  Which, for me, is saying something. This particular genre of music is not my cup of tea, (please don’t hate me) but I couldn’t help but feel moved by it.

4/5