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Beyond The Sea
A sickly boy, Walden Robert Cassotto (Ullrich) is told he'll never see his 15th birthday, sparking a quest for immortality that sees him become 'Bobby Darin' (Spacey): a chart-topping act with rock'n'roll ditty 'Splish Splash'. Not content with teen idol status, however, he turns to acting and meets screen darling Sandra Dee (Bosworth).
She becomes his long-suffering wife, watching her own star plummet as Darin soars with an album of big band standards and even bags an Oscar nod. Nonetheless he remains unsatisfied, and his relentless ambition becomes the cause of old health problems resurfacing. [BBC]
Starring Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, John Goodman, Bob Hoskins, Brenda Blethyn, Greta Scacchi
Directed by Kevin Spacey (Albino Alligator)
Written by Lewis Colick, Kevin Spacey
Festivals & Awards 2005 Golden Globe Nomination for Best Actor (Spacey)
Drama, Music, Musical, Biography | 1hr 58mins | Rated (M) | contains low level offensive language | Origin: USA, Germany, UK
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Flicks review
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When I told people I was going to the Bobby Darin biopic, I got blank looks all round. And frankly, I had to do a bit of a Google before I could sneer at them for their lack of pop culture retention. Bobby Darin is of course the creator of “Splish Splash”, who then morphed into a lounge singer, trotting out all the greats.
Beyond the Sea is not strictly speaking a Bobby Darin biopic though. It’s a Kevin Spacey vehicle, and serves as an amazing showcase for this talented actor. He’s all singing, all dancing, all balding- and the whole thing is rather surreal. He takes an odd approach to the story. We first encounter Darin making his own biopic, and meeting the child ‘actor’ playing himself. Through a series of Fame- like chorus dances, we see the sickly child’s progression to pop stardom, and his quest to become a serious entertainer.
So it’s not the world’s most novel story, but it is told in a novel fashion. And Kevin Spacey is fantastic- almost predictably so. As the writer/producer/director of the whole thing, he’s essentially a one-man band. Which is unfortunately emphasized by a dull supporting cast. Kate Bosworth is lackluster as Sandra Dee- and painfully in need of a sandwich. The rest are much of a muchness with the exception of John Goodman and Greta Scachi, who by rights should be a huge star. And Bob Hoskins puts in a good turn too, playing Darin’s confidante.
If you like Bobby Darin (and who are you people?) or love Kevin Spacey check it out. Otherwise, you may come out with the same feeling we did- it’s okay, but why this particular story? Surely there’s a wealth of b-grade actors who would benefit from this star treatment…
By Beatrix Coles.
The Peoples voice
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Too much Spacey
2
I want to give this film more than two stars on the basis of Spacey's great work as writer/director/star/singer. However it is because of this that the film becomes a product of over indulgence. The use of the young Darrin would have worked better if not so over used also. In the end the film would have worked better if he had refrained from doing everything.
By East
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Good and bad
3
As one US reviewer wrote, it is more about Spacey's vanity than Darin. The film is badly directed and cannot make up its' mind if it wants to a drama or "Guys and Dolls". Spacey is also dishonest in that he does not show Darin as a woomaniser (as for many pop stars), or his divorce from Dee; but the acting was excellent, as was Spacey's singing. A gret tribute to a great singer.
This could have been a very good film staring Spacey, if someone else had directed it.By John Kavanagh
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Spacey this and Spacey that
3
I didn't really know Bobby Darin, but after seeing the movie you realise you actually do. 'Splish Splash' anyone? Although quite unique - there aren't too many musicals these days - it was hard for to stop thinking how much of an ego stroking exercise this was for Spacey (written, directed & starring?!). Also Kate Bosworth is weak, as she was in Superman.
Enjoyable though.By katie
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Part musical part entertaining bio
4
an umissable movie for anyone who has heard the name Bobby Darin.
The other Flicks reviews do this movie justice as do the press reviews.
The short life of a cool entertainer in the time of cool, excellently acted and produced.By Brian
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fantastic
5
great movie great cast five star
By george paterson
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Spacey Resurects Darren
4
Brilliant performance by a multi-talented Kevin Spacey. A movie for every-one who loves popular music from the 50s,a nostalgic indulgence for a more mature audience and a peep into the past of how it was, for younger generations.
This movie has a fresh style of looking into the past with some lovely moments between the younger and older Bobby Darren. A great dance routine between them reminiscent of cameos of filmstars gone by e.g.Gene Kelly and the cartoon character. Absolutely loved this movie it took me back to my youth and I learned a little of the struggles of a true artist conveyed to me by a true artist and a great crew.By angela reading
Press Reviews
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BBC
3 3 out of 5 stars
Besides energetic song-and-dance numbers, Darin's exchanges with his younger self (an endearing Ullrich) are surprisingly poignant. Likewise Spacey treats the darker aspects of Darin's life with sensitivity, thankfully avoiding a descent into melodrama. It occasionally drifts off course, but for the most part Beyond The Sea is a buoyant tribute...
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Empire Magazine [UK]
3 3 out of 5 stars
Ambitious and unexpected, with stylish musical numbers and a sympathetic performance from Spacey...
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Entertainment Weekly [USA]
2 2 out of 5 stars
Weirdly moving...
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FilmThreat.com [USA]
1 1 out of 5 stars
Such a hopeless mess that there's no fun in tossing insults at its endless shortcomings...
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Hollywood Reporter
Kevin Spacey, both as star and director, has created a hugely entertaining, highly empathetic portrait of a man for whom music was literally the thing that kept him alive...
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LA Times
Put simply, the film is a dazzling and fearless piece of showmanship...
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Rolling Stone [USA]
3 3 out of 5 stars
Doing his own singing (an uncanny imitation), Spacey is a marvel...
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