Disappointment for a huge fan!

Best movie ever!

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Beyond the Sea is a passion project Kevin Spacey has been trying to make for years. Here he finally gets the chance to tell the life story of legendary singer Bobby Darin. Acting as both the star and the director, Spacey gives tells us the story of Darin from his childhood years all the way to his untimely death at a young age. While Spacey is the perfect actor to portray Darin, he isn't the best director for the film, making many poor choices in terms of storytelling and plot structure. The story of Beyond the Sea starts with Bobby Darin trying to make a feature film about his own life. The only problem is that he's a perfectionist with a temper when something doesn't go the way he wants it. Darin is approached by the actor playing his younger self and is told that the film is all wrong and that he needs to start from the very beginning to tell his story. From this point, we learn about Darin's ill childhood and how he was inspired by his grandmother to have a career in music. We then follow his rise from a small town hit to a teen music icon with the hit "Splish Splash." Darin is now a star and goes into movies, falling in love with his soon to be wife, Sandra Dee. This is where we start to see the fall of an idol as Darin lets his dream of being the world's biggest star consume him and everyone around. The plot unfolds differently because of the film within a film element Spacey uses. Darin recounts his life story to the audience, intercutting between the past, present, and future. The choice to tell the story this way is the biggest detriment to the film. It's actually pretty confusing chronologically when things are happening. The film within a film element is presented at the beginning of the film but is merely alluded to throughout which makes the timeline vague and confusing. We don't really know which parts of the plot are part of the fictional film or the real film. There is also the presentation of a child actor playing Darin as a kid in the film, but he also acts as a part of Darin's mind, almost like a vision that interacts with him. The kid's part in the film is also pretty confusing and is an element that is unneeded to tell the story. The music here is excellent as we listen to the career hits of Darin. Spacey is a great singer and practically sings every song better than Darin himself. Most songs are done in a sequence on stage or in a kind of music video format. The production that went into each song paid off very well as the choreography, scenery, and costumes are superb. Highlights include "Splish Splash", "Beyond the Sea", and "Simple Song of Freedom". The acting is the biggest draw of the film, especially Kevin Spacey in the lead role. Spacey was perfectly cast as he uses his immense talent as both an actor and singer to capture Darin's life. The only negative from his casting is that Spacey is a 45-year-old trying to play a rising star in their early 20's. Spacey definitely looks older than he should, but it's not a big distraction as he is the only person who could portray Darin this well. Kate Bosworth is also good as his wife and actress Sandra Dee. We see her character arc evolve as she goes from a young emerging actress to a wife stuck in a dilemma between her family and career. A supporting role by Bob Hoskins is also a pleasant watch as he assumes the role of Darin's father figure. John Goodman slots in with a small supporting role, but doesn't add anything new or exciting to the overall story. While his role isn't well written or directed, William Ullrich as Darin's younger self is quite enjoyable to watch as he sings and dances with immense talent.Beyond the Sea is a well acted, but poorly directed film that tries too hard to distance itself from other biopic films. The amazing song and dance numbers can't hide a dreadfully constructed plot that is confusing to follow and hard to enjoy. Kevin Spacey still has a gleaming career as an actor left for him and he should stick solely to that before his work as a director gets him in trouble.

I don't know much about Bobby Darin. I keep mixing him up with Bobby Van. Can't keep my Connies straight either… which one is Francis, which one is Stevens? So, when I started this movie and saw Kevin Spacey as Bobby Darin throw a hissy fit in the middle of a performance, I assumed they were trying to establish that Darin was a tantrum-throwing middle-aged has-been on his way down. And wasn't I surprised to find out later on that Mr. Darin died when he was 37 years old! I don't mind so much if a "star" plays a real person throughout times in his/her life when maybe the age thing is being stretched a little bit, especially if the film encompasses an entire life, but for Spacey to attempt this role at all was utterly ridiculous. Darin fans must be outraged, and those of us who know little or nothing about him going in will get entirely the wrong idea about him. His "courting" of Sandra Dee pinged the creep-meter all the way through, and his proclivity towards wrecking entire rooms and breaking everything he could get his hands on when something displeased him is hardly a praiseworthy trait. Spacey's age is a real problem in scenes like this; they might be more effective played by a younger actor who could embody a young creative hothead and not make the audience dislike him so much. As it is, all we see is the aforementioned middle-aged tantrum-thrower, and it's not a pretty sight. I'm sure the real Bobby Darin had many good qualities, but you'd never know it watching this film. The musical set-piece in the street was ridiculous… and again, looking at Spacey, why is this thick-waisted middle-aged man dancing in the street in the first place? Oh… he's supposed to be 20. I keep forgetting.Good points? Well, I understand that was Spacey singing… he did reasonably well covering Darin's hits. I never could stand "Splish Splash", but the title tune is nice, as is "Dream Lover". I love John Goodman but even he seemed to be phoning it in. Best performance was probably by Bob Hoskins.This is an obvious vanity piece that does not do credit to anyone involved with it. Avoid at all costs. Darin fans won't appreciate the liberties Spacey takes, and those unfamiliar with Darin will come away disliking him intensely which is more than likely not deserved.

Beyond The Sea, portraying the life and times of singer and actor Bobby Darin, shouldn't work but it does: part biopic, part musical, part fantasy, it is none of these, yet all of them. It might well have ended up a great, amorphous, self-indulgent mess and that it doesn't is, I should imagine, down to the undoubted and, apparently limitless, talents of Kevin Spacey. Not only did he co-write, direct and co-produce Beyond The Sea, he also sings the songs himself and proves to my — admittedly untutored eye — that he is no mean hoofer. It is legitimate to ask: why portray the life of Bobby Darin. He was undoubtedly a good singer with any number of hits to his name and even won an Oscar, but the name will surely mean nothing to most folk under the age of 60. And there is any number of good singers with hits to their names as well as Oscar-winning actors whose lives might equally have merited film treatment. So why Bobby Darin. The answer is quite banal: Spacey has admitted that he has always been fascinated by the singer. Well, if the money is their to pay the production costs and the investors are confident they will turn a profit, why not make this film. But that rather misses the point, and it is relevant to point out that for a man in his mid-forties, Spacey is an unlikely choice to play Darin. But Beyond The Sea is no vanity project. In its mix of genre, it seems to have evolved into a new one, and one I am hard pushed to give a name. The only other film of which it reminds me is Chicago. In both seemingly scenes rooted in the real world pan out into glossy stage numbers. It's a risky way of going about making films, but, and this is crucial, it works and works in spades. Why see it, especially if you have never heard of Bobby Darin? My advice is simple: if you like exceptionally well-made films, with a story, with songs, with dancing, with poignancy and with a lot of vim and chutzpah, you well spend an agreeable two hours with Beyond The Sea. In short, if you like this kind of thing, if you liked Dancin' In The Rain, On The Town and An American In Paris, you will probably love Beyond The Sea. Spacey's performance is noteworthy as is that of Kate Bosworth as Sandra Dee, the woman who fell in love with him and never fell out of love. Special mention should also go to William Ulrich as 'Little Bobby', who shares a great dance number with Spacey as the older Darin. As I said, this shouldn't work, but it does, and that is a certain magic in itself.

In 'Beyond the Sea' when Kevin Spacey first swaggers through the backstage of his show to reach the front of house, I was reminded of Frank Sinatra surrounded by his henchmen, And, when he pauses to sign an autograph, you just know that his easy manner can only have been carved out from some pretty miserable mileage - just like Sinatra's.Kevin Spacey's Bobby Darin is one hundred per cent superstar, on and off stage, and his twinkling eyes burn like blazing torchlights throughout his entire performance. Spacey, the man, looks like he's having a blast whether crooning to his beloved audience or falling in love with the beautifully delicate, Sandra Dee (played by Kate Bosworth). It's all in the eyes with Spacey and they mock and they tease in equal measure. Never have I seen a pair of eyes so successfully pluck a face out of mediocrity.As Spacey wrote, directed, co-produced and starred in this movie, it would be hard for it not to showcase his formidable talent. With more than a little artistic licence, he cleverly merges Bobby Darin the child with Bobby Darin the man and as the two connect, it makes for some stunning dance sequences. It is this that gives this film the edge over other music biopics. Brenda Blethyn plays Polly, his mother, and, as usual, you get the bountiful high spirits that she does so well. Bob Hoskins plays his loving brother-in-law and John Goodman, his manager. All of those in his social circle are larger than life, loyal and loving; in a lot of ways he is blessed.This is a story of a man whose ambition burns just as bright as the glimmer in his eyes and as you watch him overcome a sickly childhood through his passion for music, you just know you are watching a man destined to overcome adversity -a true star in the making. Spacey's portrayal of Bobby Darin is sensational - you never feel sorry for him even though he has been told that he won't live beyond his sixteenth birthday - such is his upwardly mobile spirit. One of Spacey's finest performances if you ask me.