BWW Blog: Broadway Smash or Adequate Biopic? - Clint Eastwood's JERSEY BOYS

Movie musicals don't always translate well from stage to screen, mostly because it is difficult to recreate the magic of a live stage production on camera. Sometimes movie adaptations just don't work at all. Maybe the writing is sloppy. Maybe the director's vision just doesn't work. Maybe it's just an unfortunate combination of these two things and more that leaves people (whether musical theatre fans or just regular moviegoers) wondering why anyone thought it would be a good idea to make the film in the first place.

Sometimes they get it right, though. There have been plenty of movie adaptations of Broadway musicals that have done very well both commercially and critically over the years. For example, you've got the 2007 film adaptation of Hairspray, which was nominated for several big awards, including the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. Another example would be 2002's Chicago, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2003.

Those movies work well on the big screen. Others just... don't.

There are some movie musicals that are lacking in terms of story, and in my opinion their only redeeming quality is the music. I've seen a few of these, and I've actually enjoyed them. Would I have enjoyed them if you took out the singing and the dancing and left me with just a lackluster story? Probably not. But with those musical elements present, those movies become just slightly more tolerable.

One of my favorite movie musicals is actually an example of one of these movies. Its story doesn't do much for me, but it has some incredible musical moments that make up for all the times the plot fails to deliver. I am referring to the 2014 adaptation of the Tony-winning musical Jersey Boys, directed by Clint Eastwood.

Initially when one hears that Oscar winner Clint Eastwood is directing an adaptation of a musical that won four Tony Awards, they might expect it to be one of the best movie musicals ever made. This was not the case. Jersey Boys ended up receiving mixed reviews, with critics noting that the film's musical moments are all that really save the film from falling victim to its own plot.

I agree with the critics. In fact, my feelings about the film can be summed up by the critic consensus on the film's Rotten Tomatoes page, which points out that the film doesn't quite reach its full potential. But the music? The pipes on John Lloyd Young? Undeniably good.

I think what makes Jersey Boys stand out among other movie musicals is that, compared to those like the aforementioned Hairspray and Chicago, it isn't really much of a musical at all. It's really just a biopic about a music group, and what's a biopic about a music group without songs by that music group?

Think of it like Bohemian Rhapsody, but based on a stage musical.

Of course the film is also full of fourth wall breaks, and the entire cast joins together in singing "Who Loves You" and a reprise of "December 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" as the credits roll, creating whatever the film equivalent of a curtain call would be. So you're still getting the effect of a musical, but for the most part it's a typical biopic.

Despite it not being the greatest film ever made-certainly not the greatest movie musical-Jersey Boys is a film that I love to rewatch. The cast, led by Tony winner John Lloyd Young as Frankie Valli (a role he originated in the Broadway production), is so insanely talented, and it is absolutely mesmerizing watching them perform. Even Clint Eastwood's direction deserves some praise. The film is a beautiful piece of period cinema, and his directing style is perfectly suited for this film. And the musical moments, of course, are what make the film worth watching.

If you're bored and looking for a movie musical to watch, I recommend taking a look at Jersey Boys. I'm not a professional, so you don't have to take my advice, but I can guarantee that if you give it one watch, you'll be singing "Sherry" for a week straight, possibly involuntarily.

Jersey Boys is available to stream on Netflix.

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