Beyond the Sea

 I adored the experience of watching this film. I have always, since I learned his name, admired Kevin Spacey, and this film only reaffirmed my opinion. This is NOT the story of a star train-wreck. Although, like most entertainers, his life was full of mistakes and disappointment, Bobby Darin didn't live long enough to completely mess things up.

As a biography, the film is obviously incomplete. His second wife is never mentioned, and a few other liberties are taken, but mostly for the sort of entertainment of which Bobby himself would likely approve. If you want the real story, go to wikipedia (or read the biography written by his son Dodd). Spacey plays his idol with energy and an amazing capacity for imitation, and doesn't limit himself to Darin (to my delight) but throws out the occasional Jerry Lewis, etc., usually in character.

Spacey shows off his own voice, and I'm beyond grateful he did. He has a great talent! I almost wondered (like Joaquin Phoenix in Walk the Line) if he weren't even better than Bobby Darin himself, which Spacey would probably slap me for.

I have confused myself now, though. I hated Hilary Swank's Amelia, mostly because it felt like a single actor's homage to a hero, and I didn't feel the same admiration. I didn't feel that way about Beyond the Sea at all, even knowing Spacey had much more apparent admiration for his character. I wonder if perhaps the reason Hilary Swank's tribute fell flat was that it lacked humor, where Spacey's was full of imagination and amusement. You decide.