Review of Jersey Boys (2014) by Steve P — 03 Jul 2014

Turned out to be better than I thought it would be. But still not a great movie. Enjoyable and entertaining but felt a bit bogged down in the middle. I've been told that this version of the Four Seasons' story is better than the stage play on which it is based.

I was initially a bit irritated by the moments when characters directly addressed the audience, but at times these were quite amusing. It was fascinating to see how the characters developed from childhood through the journey of becoming famous musicians - along with all the issues that seem to plague celebrities.

The music, of course, is great and the four stars of the film do a great job of pulling off the sound of the original group. It's very evocative of foot tapping! Worth a look if you love the music of the era and, while there is frequent coarse language, it's not too bad in the context of the story - definitely not gratuitous.

It's possible that this is its biggest flaw. It's too "clean" for what was, in reality, a very gritty, raw rise from rags to riches.