hunter-friesen 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.

museumofdave While essentially a standard, old-fashioned musical biopic, this Spacey oddity has many major strengths, and one whopper of a drawback; the film never flags in energy, it charts a life in music clubs like the Copacabana and whirls in Hollywood with Sandra Dee, all done with a heady nostalgic flair. The film has a dynamic supporting cast--what's not to like about Kate Bosworth, Bob Hoskins, Brenda Blethyn, and Greta Schacchi? And Spacey can belt out the Darin songs with amazing energy and galvanizing verve.But you can't fool the camera! Being a stage actor, Mr. Spacey may have thought that a man twice as old as Darin could get away with being a teenybopper delight--distance can create that illusion. But the camera, up-close and in person, and Spacey's frame, that of an aging middle-aged man, creates an often macabre ambiance when placed next to obviously younger people. As Darin ages, Spacey fills in nicely--but it took this viewer an hour to suspend disbelief.

Desertman84 Kevin Spacey is best known for playing pyschopaths and a creep in mid- life crisis but surprisingly,he plays crooner Bobby Darin.He does some snappy dancing and top-notch singing. Beyond the Sea puts Darin's life through a bit of a kaleidoscope. Spacey, who stars in the lead role and used his own singing voice for the musical numbers, co-wrote, directed, and co-produced the film, which takes its title from the Darin song of the same name. It depicts Darin's rise to teen idol success in both the music and film industry during the 1950's and 60's, as well as his marriage to Sandra Dee, portrayed by Kate Bosworth. John Goodman, Bob Hoskins, Brenda Blethyn and Greta Sacchi co-star.Born Bobby Cassotto and raised in the Bronx, young Bobby was raised by his mother, Polly, his brother-in-law, Charlie, and his sister, Nina. At the age of 15, Bobby contracted a severe case of rheumatic fever, which was expected to take his life; while it left him with a weak heart, Bobby beat the odds and survived. Buoyed by a love of music passed along by his mother, Bobby learned to play several instruments and began singing as he recovered. Displaying a confidence and drive which stopped just short of arrogance, he adopted the stage name Bobby Darin and set his sights on becoming a star. After a string of hits as a rock & roll singer, Darin takes another gamble, and with the help of manager Steve Blauner he reinvents himself as a supper-club vocalist in the manner of Frank Sinatra. All the more remarkably, he succeeds, and his swinging version of "Mack the Knife" tops the charts. Now a major singing star, Darin decides to take up acting; on the set of his first movie, he woos his female co-star Sandra Dee, and despite the stern objections of her mother, Bobby and Sandra wed. But after a string of successful movies for Dee and hit records and an Oscar nomination for Darin, the shifting tastes of the 1960's throw their careers off-track. Bobby cautiously embraces the new sounds of the day, but his old fans don't want to hear him cover Bob Dylan or the Rolling Stones, while the younger audience isn't interested in his new sound, leaving Darin in a difficult place to make his way back to stardom.Many people under 40 may not even remember Bobby Darin, let alone know about his remarkable life story. Beyond the Sea may rectify that problem and stand as a wonderful tribute to an amazing talent who left us all too soon.It is a heartfelt gem, so earnest, so joyful and so celebratory of Bobby Darin's spirit that the movie's flaws or embarrassments are completely irrelevant.Also,Kevin Spacey the actor makes up for his directorial effort.While Kate Bosworth is superb as Darin's charming wife Sandra Dee.Overall,it a good biofilm.

Bob-45 "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".