Jersey Boys

There is no doubt that Jersey Boys has its problems. Not the least of which is the Scorsese esque talking to the camera, which mostly just feels like 3rd rate Goodfellas and really wasn't necessary. It even has an actor playing Joe Pesci as a side character, the historical accuracy and amusing nature of it notwithstanding, it doesn't help the Goodfellas comparison thing at all. It's also rather kitschy at times and its approach doesn't really add anything new to your typical biopic. Yet it nevertheless remains a funny, briskly paced and enlightening piece of entertainment. It is bolstered by superb renditions of all of Frankie Valli and The Four Season's big hits, this thanks mostly to John Lloyd Young who is terrific as Valli. However it is a scene stealing turn from Vincent Piazza as the group's volatile Tommy Devito (Pesci's name in Fellas by the way) that truly makes the film worth watching. Granted Piazza plays Lucky Luciano on Boarwalk Empire so playing this character is firmly in his wheelhouse, yet he is simply magnetic on screen. It seemed to me that even Clint Eastwood agreed, since Piazza is the dominant screen force for all except the final act of the film. On stage it's all about Lloyd, off stage, it's clearly Piazza the camera is in love with. So while there are certainly flaws that can be pointed to, they don't make the film any less entertaining and Clint's eye for the period and particularly his ear for the music, makes Jersey Boys worth it.