Beyond The Sea Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
BOBBY DARIN . . . in the era of cool he was the soundtrack.
In the era of cool, he was the soundtrack.
The voice. The passion. The confidence.
Consummate entertainer Bobby Darin (1936-1973) is making a movie about his life. He's volatile, driven by the love of performing, ambition, perfectionism, and belief that he's living on borrowed time. He begins in the Bronx: a fatherless lad learning music and dance from his mom. His career starts slowly, then "Splish Splash" puts him at the top of the charts and on "Bandstand." He wants to be an entertainer, not a pop star, so he aims for the Copacabana; then it's on to the movies, where he meets and marries Sandra Dee. After, it's balancing career, health, marriage and family life, balances he doesn't always keep. Throughout, conversations with his boyhood self give him perspective.
| Kevin Spacey | Bobby Darin |
| Kate Bosworth | Sandra Dee |
| John Goodman | Steve Blauner |
| Bob Hoskins | Charlie Cassotto Maffia |
| Brenda Blethyn | Polly Cassotto |
| Greta Scacchi | Mary Duvan |
| Caroline Aaron | Nina Cassotto Maffia |
| Peter Cincotti | Dick Behrke |
| William Ullrich | Little Bobby Darin |
| Michael Byrne | Dr. Andretti |
| Matt Rippy | David Gershenson |
| Gary Whelan | Jules Podell |
| Jake Broder | 1st Assistant Director |
| Tayfun Bademsoy | Ahmet Ertegun |
| Tomas Spencer | Delivery Guy |
| Kevin Spacey |
6.70 out of 10 (6349 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Mesmerizing Movie with Old Fashioned Style & the Smart Critics Rated it well...
posted on 24 Aug 2009This movie will be a classic... I'm still thinking about it days later. Note, that I was not prior to the movie a big Bobby Darin/Sandra Dee fan, but I am now.The bad reviews don't bother me because look at the quality of critics who gave it good reviews---the gold standard for movies, I think...Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave it a respectable review, as did Roger Ebert, Richard Roeper, The New York Times, The Denver Post and many others. So, really who cares what the Sacremento Bee and the New York Post say?? HA! LOL! I am mesmerized by this love story, even though I know that Bobby divorced Sandra before his death...I still think the liberties Spacey took with the ending are true to the spirit of the two of them.Spacey is masterful.
"An outstanding biopic"
posted on 23 Aug 2009"Beyond The Sea" is a treat for both the eyes & ears-Kevin Spacey did an excellent portrayal of the late great Bobby Darin-Darin did not limit himself to a single musical genre-He could sing rock and roll,standards,country,& folk-As a matter of fact,one of his last releases in that vein was "Sing A Simple Song Of Freedom"-"Beyond The Sea" chronicles the volatile relationship between Darin & actress Sandra Dee,played to perfection by Kate Bosworth-Although Darin only lived to be 37,he certainly left behind an outstanding body of work-If you're a die hard Bobby Darin fan,you owe it to yourself to purchase this DVD.
Loved it! Loved it! Loved it!
posted on 20 Aug 2009I loved Beyond the Sea. I never once thought Kevin was too old to play this part. I am now a Kevin Spacey fan. He did a fantastic job of singing and not to mention dancing. Doris Day and Fred Astaire were always my favorites so you can imagine why I loved this movie.I always loved musicals when I was a kid so it was a like a breath of fresh air when this movie came along. The only part I didn't like was how they portrayed his sister/mother. They made her look like a slob with her big hair and too much make-up. Not to mention her loudness. Not until the last sense did she look half decent. I mean come on she couldn't have looked that bad back then. I'm so tired of violence, sex and cheating in the movies. Thank you Kevin for making this movie. I laughed I cried and I sang!!! What more could you ask for?
Beyond and under
posted on 17 Aug 2009"Beyond the Sea" opened the same year as another bio-pic of a classic musical talent, "De Lovely." This was Kevin Spacey's pet project. Unfortunately, "Sea" doesn't manage to be much more than that -- it feels bloodless and overstuffed, and we never get to know any of the people in it.
It opens with Darin (Spacey) filming a movie about himself, and generally acting like a diva -- and being interrupted by the specter of himself as a young boy. Cue cringes.
His story shoots back to see himself as a critically ill, fatherless child, whose "mother" (actually his grandmother) says he'll be bigger than Sinatra. Despite the odds, he becomes a massive star, even shooting a Hollywood movie alongside Rock Hudson and Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth).
He marries the beautiful girl after a whirlwind courtship, and after a rocky start, all seems to be going well -- they have a child, wealth, and a beautiful home. But then his "sister" reveals that she is his biological mother, and Bobby falls to pieces. Now he sets out to find himself -- as a person, and as a musician.
"Beyond the Sea" is both too long and too short -- it only looks at a few parts of Darin's life, and yet it feels overstuffed. The story itself focuses on only a few aspects of Darin's life, but it pushes them so hard that Darin himself -- and the entirety of his life -- get lost in the muddle.
And while some movies could have managed, "Beyond the Sea" doesn't. It skips the entire latter half of Darin's life -- divorce, teen idol phase, mother's death, et cetera -- so we can hear more about how Darin was sick as a kid, and how finding out about Mom messed him up forever. The movie feels like a series of unconnected scenes that are strung together on those plot threads.
Worse, Spacey is a very awkward writer/director -- that horribly Broadway-style opener proves it. There are a few good moments, like Darin dedicating a song to his mother. But most of the movie is awkward or even laughable, such as the scene where Darin does his "knight of Camelot" routine in the bedroom. I dare you not to laugh at that -- or at seriously delivered lines like, "Memories are like moonbeams, we do with them what we will."
Despite his directorial shortcomings, Spacey makes a decent Darin -- he has some onstage charisma, and he sings nicely, and does a tolerable job in most of the other scenes. He even includes Darin's snipey behavior ("Let me tell you something, blondie, you're not exactly Audrey Hepburn!"). But Bosworth seems to be sleepwalking in her role, and the "young Bobby" is simply awful.
"Beyond the Sea" could have been a good movie, even with the awkward direction. But in the end, it fails to do one important thing: Tell us about Bobby Darin's life.
Once Upon A Time . . . . .
posted on 15 Aug 2009Kevin Spacey, a long time fan of Bobby Darin, pulls out all the stops for this entertaining biopic of late performer's life. Darin was a singer and actor with a definate interest in politics, who was beset by a critical heart condition that threatened to take his life before he turned 30. Spacey's dynamic, energetic portrayal elevates this film above the many star bio movies out there. His vocals are remarkably similiar to that of Darin and you can feel the enthusiasm behind every note. His performance and direction is so effective (although a Brooklyn accent would have been nice) that at times it is easy to overlook the fact that he is too old to play Bobby, with the glaring exception in his scenes with Kate Bosworth, as Sandra Dee, the teen sweetheart of 1960s America. They share a good chemistry, but the age difference is a bit distracting at times. Also, Bosworth, as talented as she is, was something of a disappointment to me in her performance. Dee had the most adorable voice, with a tinge of her native New Jersey; Bosworth does not even attempt this, and some of the wigs she wore were absolutely horrible (not her fault) - particularly the longer one we see as Bobby carries her over the threshold - I've seen photos that were taken on their wedding day and the clothing and hairstyles are not accurate at all. Sandra's fear on their wedding night, touchingly vulnerable as it is, is not really expanded upon - those of us who are familiar with her life know that she was sexually abused by her stepfather will catch the significance but others won't. The "Come September" recreation scene involving the wishbone doesn't bear much of a resemblance to the actual scene from that film - as a Darin fan, Spacey could have been much more meticulious (Darin wore a black bow tie, not a white one, to the 1963 Oscar ceremony), Sandra's drinking problem is barely touched upon, her anorexia and miscarriages not even mentioned. I also don't agree with the voice-over, stating that the films he and Sandra made together were "dogs". Also the presence of Sandra's mother, Mary Douvan (Greta Schacci) in their lives, is very much downplayed - she would eventually move in with her daughter and son-in-law after they married, no doubt contributing to their marital discord.
The songs that Spacey chose to define their love for each other are achingly appropriate - Dream Lover, Beyond The Sea, and the most moving Once Upon A Time - it really sums up the strong emotional attachment that Darin and Dee had for one another, although they couldn't live together. Sandra Dee died in 2005 and she loved Bobby to her dying day, as confirmed by their son, Dodd "Moose" Darin.
Bobby Darin struggles to reach the top and to be somebody before he turns 25, if he lives that long. His grandmother, Polly (Brenda Blethyn), whom he believes to be his mother, encourages him, as does his brother-in-law, Charlie Maffia (Bob Hoskins), and his manager, Steve "Boom-boom" Blauner (John Goodman), and when he finally becomes a top charter with his hits "Splish Splash" and "Mack The Knife", he continues to reach out into other venues, to appeal to a mass audience, and also becomes an effective actor, scoring an Oscar nomination for "Captain Newman, M.D.". With the changing of the times in the late 60s, his marriage to Sandra crumbles and he finds himself trying to catch up with the political tide and the devestating consequences of the Vietnam war. As he begins his comeback, "the curtain falls". Even more devestating is his discovery that his "sister" Nina Maffia (Caroline Aaron), is actually his mother. There is a tear-inducing moment in the film where he acknowledges her as such on stage, but in real life, that actually never occurred. A special mention must go to William Ulrich, who plays Bobby as a little boy - his interactions with the adult Darin bring a deeper understanding of the conflicting emotions and demons of Bobby, trying to do everything, and be everything to everybody.
His brief remarriage in 1973, important friendships he formed (with Sammy Davis Jr, Dick Clark, George Burns and much more) and his bittersweet romance with Connie Francis don't even get a mention, but even without that, this movie hits the right chord and leaves a wonderful, poignant afterglow of this incandescent personality and the great love of his life.
"But somehow once upon a time, never comes again . . . . . . . . ."
A Worthy Tribute to a Show Business Legend
posted on 13 Aug 2009This top-notch production is a showcase for the multi-talented Kevin Spacey, who co-wrote, directed, and starred (doing all the singing, and rather well). It chronicles Darin's rise to fame, from a childhood marked by a life-threatening illness, to his success as a singer and actor, on into his later days, when Bobby re-fashioned his nightclub act to include anti-war songs. Kate Bosworth excels in her role as Sandra Dee, and the supporting cast is superb, particularly John Goodman, who can always be relied upon to deliver a solid performance. It is a highly entertaining film, and highly recommended. Thank you, Kevin Spacey - well done!
Far better than reviews led me to believe
posted on 12 Aug 2009Could it be that many movie reviewers are as sick of Kevin Spacey as I am of Kirsten Dunst (with far less reason, I maintain)? I'm not sure just how else to account for the mediocre-to-bad reviews I recall for this film, and the dreadful ones for K-PAX before it. I'm reasonably picky and loathe sentiment, and I thought the film was pretty darn good. Its central conceit -- that it's not a film about Bobby Darin but a film about the making, by Bobby Darin, of an autobiographical film -- was much maligned in the reviews I read, but I felt it worked.Actually, I thought most of the scenes and devices used worked. I gave the film 9 stars instead of 10 only because I'm not sure what its aim was. In the end, it seemed to me it was more of a film about Spacey's fascination with and admiration for Darin than it was about Darin himself. It's not merely that liberties are taken with the facts of Darin's life (standard in movies), that the narrative itself is hardly straightforward, or even that the film is almost all-Spacey, all the time (he sings! he dances! he acts! but after the first shock, that actually seemed part of the natural flow to me). There's nothing inherently wrong with a tribute film, but that didn't seem to be the whole of it either. Somehow, Spacey managed to convey to me that more was meant here than just a tribute to Darin, but I was never really sure what. What's odd is that it certainly partially succeeds -- I saw the film last night and have been thinking of it since, and that not-knowing is like an itch. I do recommend it for anyone who likes Spacey, Darin, music of the era, and/or inventive narratives. And if you're one of the critics who disliked it so, I do recommend you take a hot shower, get a massage and a cold drink, and take another look at it: you might surprise yourself.
So well done you get lost and forget it is a movie!
posted on 07 Aug 2009I saw this movie tonight and was blown away! Spacey WAS able to pull it off! He did an incredible job. He will win an award for this no doubt! In my opinion he should swap every catagory during the awards! It will be a complete shut-out.
Drop everything and go see this film now!!!
A Creditable Bio-pic
posted on 07 Aug 2009I have to admit, I enjoyed Beyond the Sea, but it did not bowl me over like some of the folks here. I give Spacey high marks because it is obvious that this is a real labor of love for him. Not only does he do well with the musical numbers, but he seems to be loving every second of them. In fact, Spacey can sometimes bother me, but here I really appreciated his work. The only drawback was that he did look too old throughout.
Bosworth did absolutely nothing for me as Sandra Dee. In fact, I had to remind myself on ocassion who she was playing because I never ever felt it - she just seemed so flat.
Overall its definitely worth viewing. Especially for those of us who may know the great music but never knew much about the man.
"beyond the sea" kevin spacey is beyond my comprehension
posted on 03 Aug 2009what possessed kevin spacey to play as bobby darin in this film is beyond my comprehension...
in the first place, he doesn't look at all like bobby darin and he is toooooo old for the role.
bobby darin reached fame when he was in his mid-twenties... or younger.
maybe, spacey can carry a tune but he can't dance...
i felt embarrass watching him dance... and kate bosworth looked like his daughter... instead of a wife.
This movie captured my entire teenage years
posted on 31 Jul 2009This movie captured all my teenage years. I was,and still am, a total Bobby Darin fan, and never thought anyone could capture his unique style and nuances. I commend Kevin Spacey in achieving this, and for producing a very thought provoking movie which counterbalances the brilliant music with a very unique story. As a fan in England in the late fifties and early sixties, we did not get the information that we get on our stars today. I now live in Hong Kong, and had to wait for the DVD to be released before i could see this long awaited movie. I was not disappointed, and the days of listening to long playing records in my box bedroom in Wembley came straight back to me!!! I thank Kevin Spacey from the bottom of my heart for bringing my teenage hero back to life in such a stunning way, and i wish him every success in his future work. Rather like Bobby Darin himself, i don't think his work here has been fully recognised for its brilliance.David INGRAM,HONG KONG JUNE 2005
Incredible!
posted on 29 Jul 2009I have a hard time understanding why this movie has been so panned. I read a review before I went to see it,(which I should never do) that said the film was just a big ego fest. That is not at all what the film I saw was. The cool thing is, is that Kevin Spacey took some huge risks, and it worked so well. You are supposed to enjoy this movie. Spacey makes it clear that Bobby Darin's life was not the Greek tragedy it has been written to be over the years. It is a very positive movie. Sure Darin was was an ego-maniac. But, I respect Spacey for bringing it to the screen as such an uplifting film. The supporting cast is particularly amazing. I thought it was such a great film. It was hands down the best movie I have seen in a long time.
Saw advanced screening last night
posted on 29 Jul 2009I was a little leery on seeing this film, but must say that I enjoyed it. I haven't seen too many biographies, so I didn't have too much to compare it too.I thought the dancing and the music were light and good. Really was surprised at Kevin Spacey's voiceThe first half of the movie was better than the second. It moved along quicker. I enjoyed the humor in the movie.At times, the age difference between Spacey and Bobby were too evident.I thought Kevin Spacey did a nice job, and his voice sounded good.I thought the way that they ended the film could be better and more dramatic.If you were a teen or young adult during this time, you should enjoy the movie
two stars for the acting
posted on 26 Jul 2009And -- that's right -- one for the film. Much as I really like and respect Kevin Spacey and consider him a great actor, and while he does a great job here, this was more about his ego and dream role than it was about Bobby Darin. WAY too many parts about Darin's life were glossed over or even ignored, and important ones at that. The dance numbers and "kid" sequences were out of place and slowed things down. Sorry, Kevin. While you were outstanding, Bobby deserves way better that just near-blind idol-worship. He was deeper than that.
OK, but only if you knew Bobby Darin
posted on 25 Jul 2009I was bored during this movie, but my grandma on the other hand loved it. This is one of those films that doesn't appeal to all age groups. I also thought it was hard to follow between Bobby and Little Bobby. At first I was thinking that Bobby was making a movie about himself and cast Little Bobby to play himself as a kid, and then Bobby told Little Bobby his life story. Then I was thinking that Little Bobby was a fragment of Bobby's memories. You might think I'm dumb because that could be totally off, but the point is that it was hard (for me at least) to follow. Also, I didn't like Kate Bosworth's acting. In the scene where she was supposed to be crying, my cousin and I were cracking up because it looked like she was laughing (hardly any tears on her face). I thought Kevin Spacey was a good singer, and the film had some good light humor in it to. Bottom line: Don't see this film unless you know Bobby Darin. If you don't (like me) it is boring.
THE BOBBY DARIN SHOW
posted on 24 Jul 2009This film starts off on the wrong foot and gets worse as it dances along. Amazingly ill-conceived drama gives us the free-wheeling, care-free public image of Bobby Darin in enormity, but offers little insight into the man behind the celebrity, as if Darin's press agent was still working for a dead man. Almost immediately, "Beyond The Sea" ventures into a surreal world, a lot like Roy Scheider talking to his dead Mom in "All That Jazz", and retains that effect, remaining cold and detatched from the subject at hand as a result. The script is almost dismally bad, cutting through glossy Hollywood bio cliches (Mom dies), and weak uninvolving situations, (married to 'Gidget' Sandra Dee with much less adventurous romance than found in a Gidget movie), just so Kevin Spacey as Darin, can sing and dance, neither of which, it seems to me, he does very well, the singing particularly, like your average guy deluded into believing in his vocal prowess due to the echo in the shower stall.
Time lines zip by; the Vietnam War, death of Robert Kenndy Jr., a change in popular music's taste, as if rushing us to a big conclusion while John Goodman, as Darin's manager keeps popping his head in doorways, serving as some kind of time signature; "Bobby, you're playing the Copa.", "Bobby, you're nominated for an Oscar.", "Bobby, your toupee needs straightening." It seems Mr. Spacey who also wrote, directed and produced "Beyond The Sea', would be content to scrap the entire bio, and instead put on a Bobby Darin impersonation night club routine. He could sing and dance to his heart's desire, but eventually somebody (young) would come along and do it better. He could then recite the movie's thematic quote, repeated in the film, - "Memories are like moon beams. It's up to you what to do with them." Not very heavy. Right up there with, "loving Bobby Darin means never having to say you're sorry."
Kevin has outdone himself - an absolute jewel of a movie.
posted on 21 Jul 2009It is quite obvious that Beyond The Sea was a labor of love for Spacey. I was totally immersed in the story from the opening. The soundtrack is tight and the fantasy scenes magical. I too was introduced to Bobby Darin's music as a child and had forgotten how infectious his tunes were. I think that the direction that Kevin took with the story was a great spin. This is not the classic biography being told here. We are swept up in the energy of Darin's life and get to experience the multi-dimensions of Darin thru him as a youngster and as a grown man. I have known that Kevin Spacey was an incredible actor and have enjoyed his performances thru the years, but, this movie has to be by far the best.Who knew that he possessed a voice like that? Producer, writer, singer, actor - I can't wait to see how he'll outdo this one!
drowning in a sea of bad writing
posted on 19 Jul 2009Beyond the Sea is one of the worst films i have seen in a long while. The characters are all completely one dimensional, there isn't a shred of credible honest dialog in the entire film, Bobby Darin is not shown to have a single redeeming quality until 45 minutes into the film when the writer decided to throw in a schmaltzy, pointless one minute scene about him defending a black comedian.Good scripts are built through positive and negative events, that eventually lead to a climax. This film goes virtually an hour with only a couple of negative events. His mother dies and it is sluffed off, and never dealt with. We never see any unconscious desire from Bobby Darin. His character just prances about, egotistically getting whatever he wants during the first half of this film. Good characters have a weak spot, they draw you in and create empathy or at least sympathy. This character had none of that. There are so many clichés and obvious turns in this film, but what makes them even worse is the fact that they are never dealt with. We find out Sandra Dee has a drinking problem....Thats talked about for all of 5 seconds!! also, at one point, the story seems to be leading to the obvious tension of her being jealous of his career, but again they never bother to explore it, they just shelf the idea and move on to another positive beat regarding bobby darins' career.To top it all off, in the middle of this boring story we have to put up with 5 different song interludes that stop the plot dead. 15 minutes of just sitting there in the theatre waiting for them to get on with it.I cant for the life of me see how anyone could defend this film technically.
Very Entertaining -- Yes, the Golden Globe was Deserved!
posted on 29 Aug 2009Finally watched this DVD that I bought months ago, and was pleasantly surprised at how good this movie is. I'd read some reviews that criticized Spacey for being too old or the plot for interrupting the flow with the young Bobby Darin character. No way! Spacey is wonderful and sings amazingly well, thank goodness. (I hate bad singing in musicals.) I could not tell the difference between him and Darin. He even dances well in the (limited) dancing scenes. The story, which moves cleverly from an opening scene with Darin at his oldest back to his childhood, kept me totally engrossed from start to finish. This movie shows the creativity that we crave in films, giving some insight into Darin and Sandra Dee (gorgeously played by Kate Bosworth) while paying tribute to Darin's one consistent characteristic: he was an entertainer, and this movie stays unrelentingly entertaining as well. Most important, the director, Spacey, lets you actually see and hear a lot of the singing and dancing without too much interruption. I found the ending quite touching, but Spacey does not let us wallow in deathbed scenery and there is an upbeat feeling as the credits roll. Well worth a watch if you like Bobby Darin's singing or just an interesting biographical summation. Next - what about a movie of Sandra Dee's life?