“Jersey Boys” is an adaptation of the hit Broadway musical. Director Clint Eastwood makes a musical that actually has seriousness in it, compared to most musical films that’s primary entertainment is just the singing and dancing. Eastwood’s directing consists of great music, accurate make-up, and dazzling cinematography to make his audience feel they are in the time period of the setting of his movies. (The film had an issue of dragging in moments of enviousness between the singers.) “Jersey Boys” was done well technically and audibly; the reason why it lacks a bit is because it’s a film that is obviously made for Hollywood.

 

If “Jersey Boys” was intended to be a film for the holidays compared to the summer time, I see that there would have probably been more hype for this film. What musical adaptation opened on Christmas 2012 and made the big bucks? That movie was “Les Miserable.” What theatre productions sell-out crazy during the holiday seasons? Broadway musicals are the answer. “Jersey Boys” has been talked about being adapted into an adaptation but is not what viewers are expecting; the summer time is where musical films are not focused on all that much, compared to Marvel movies, romantic movies, and all of that other big-buck studio movies.

 

Eastwood takes big-name actors out of the picture and chooses actors that have actually been staged on the show Broadway version of “Jersey Boys.” Paul Dano, Dominic Cooper, and James Badge Dale were set to star in “Jersey Boys” but were rejected when Eastwood was directing. Originally, Jon Favreau was suppose to direct, but changed his mind and let Eastwood direct the movie.

 

The plot of “Jersey Boys” is the story of four young men: Tommy DeVito (Vincent Piazza), Frankie Valli (John Lloyd Young), Nick Massi (Michael Lomenda), and Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen). All of these young men come from the small town of New Jersey, start singing together, and form the rock Group “Four Seasons.”

 

With musical talent these actors have, they got other issues ahead of them. They fall into disasters with gambling debts, mafia threats, and gambling situations that lead to disasters.

 

I do not love this movie, and I do not hate this movie, I just find it captivating, but at the same time having trouble to understand if the concept of the film is the music or the characters’ friendship. The writing for the film seems to be going all over the place. Marshall Brickman (the screenwriter) wrote the screenplay for the 1977 Woody Allen classic, “Annie Hall.” That screenplay had moments jumping back and forth throughout all of “Annie Hall.” However, in “Annie Hall,” the moments in non-chronological order had a purpose. For “Jersey Boys” it was just pure confusing.

 

I may watch this film for a second time. If I do though, it will not be to enjoy it, it will be to try and find portions of the screenplay that was hard to understand. Since I was having fun with some moments, and dozing off in others, I felt just the make-up was more attention grabbing than what is going on in the movie. It is an adaptation that is a mess with perfect technical elements, but the technical elements do not enhance it.