Actors: John Lloyd Young, Christopher Walken, Erich Bergen, Michael Lomenda, Vincent Piazza
Directors: Clint Eastwood
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: November 11, 2014
Running Time: 134 minutes
Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars
Who doesn’t love the music of Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons?! Based on the Tony Award-winning musical, “Jersey Boys” gets the big screen treatment from llegendaryactor/director and Oscar winner Clint Eastwood (“Million Dollar Baby,” “Unforgiven”). “Jersey Boys” features some great music and is quite the inspiring drama. Normally not a huge Eastwood fan but he did a great job on converting this stage play works to a feature. I have seen this on Broadway twice and I was a little hesitate in the film but it is very entertaining…oh and that music!
Official Premise: “Jersey Boys” tells the story of four young men from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who came together to form the iconic 1960s rock group The Four Seasons. The story of their trials and triumphs are accompanied by the songs that influenced a generation, including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Dawn,” “Rag Doll,” “Bye Bye Baby,” “Who Loves You,” and many more.
The film stars John Lloyd Young, who reprises his Tony Award-winning portrayal of the legendary lead singer of The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli. Erich Bergen (“Madam Secretary”) plays as Bob Gaudio, writer of the group’s biggest hits. Newcomer Michael Lomenda and Vincent Piazza (“Boardwalk Empire”) star respectively as Nick Massi and Tommy DeVito, two original members of The Four Seasons. Also perfectly cast in the role of mobster Gyp DeCarlo is Oscar® winner Christopher Walken (“The Deer Hunter”), who does some great dancing and singing.
“Jersey Boys” is being released as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD = Ultraviolet Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer gives the film a lot of scope and takes it off the stage and into the real world. I liked this transition and I thought it was very well done. The music is key for a film like this, obviously. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5,1 delivers a great balance between the songs and the dialogue. You can’t help but belt along with these wonderful classics.
The special features are ok but I would have honestly expected more. There are three featurettes included. “From Broadway To The Big Screen” is obviously focuses on the journey of this film from the stages of Broadway to the big silver screen. “Too Good To Be True” is a feature with cast/crew interviews. Lastly ‘Oh, What A Night’ To Remember” talks about the legacy of The Four Season’s music over the years. I would have loved to see some commentary tracks and more focus on the music.
Own “Jersey Boys” on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital HD on November 11th
