sing classic July junque tunes
Sherry, Sherry baby………..everyone kicks into this song
with their best falsetto. But there is only one Frankie Valli and The Four
Seasons. Jersey Boys, based on the Tony award winning Broadway
musical, is now on screen. It’s a well directed film by Clint Eastwood, who was
smart enough to cast dudes who can sing – the real Broadway actors. Too often
musicals stretch with a Hollywood actor/singer and you can’t disappear into the
story. Kudos to Clint.
John Lloyd Young (Frankie Valli), Michael Lomenda (Nick
Massi), and Vincent Piazza (Tommy DeVito) are young punks trying to get out of
their small Jersey town. Frankie cuts hair by day and sings at night. Tommy’s
the charmer, working the gigs, grooming Frankie, spending the bucks, and has
the goods that fall off the truck. He rolls in and out of Rahway prison with a
smile on his face. But everyone looks out for Frankie. He even brings the local
capo (a great Christopher Walken) to tears with a version of Your Mother’s
Eyes.
But they need a real band name, and an original songwriter.
Enter a buddy, Joe Pesci (yes, the one who becomes an actor). Joey knows this
Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen) who can play, sing, and write. The group meet and
while Tommy senses leadership competition, they agree to take on Bob. Kaboom –
with the right record producer, gigs on American Bandstand, tours galore and
songs like Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, and Walk Like a Man The
Four Seasons should be raking in the dough.
Jersey Boys goes behind the scenes of the
group’s story. We see the wife’s alcohol problem, divorce, the daughter’s drug
issues. Daddy’s on the road and she’s missing out on fatherly guidance and
love.
Tommy’s gambling problems cause huge money issues, strife,
and breakup of the group. We see the guys grow from kids on the street to men
dealing with fame and turmoil. The film shows the grinding hard work, and the
need to perform.
Frankie sings, he chases the music, and eventually goes it
alone. We finally see the group meet up at the Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame
Induction. Bad feelings are put on the back burner with handshakes and hugs.
And then they sing again, and that voice of an angel soars. It’s tough to beat
a real live Broadway production, but the Jersey Boys film does a
darn good job of keeping your toes tapping. You’ll go home and break out that
falsetto – Sherry, sherry baby………
