Jersey Boys Movie

[zab]

Despite some reservations because of the R rating, we decided to see the movie and judge for ourselves. I wasn’t too pleased with the scene in first part when the boys break into a church (padlock and key and chain ), and as usual for movie scenes, all the vigil candles are lit, but mostly I was annoyed with what came across as insulting to have an old nun drinking the wine in the shadows of the dark empty church. I had heard some F language and from reading the reviews, I knew that it was only going to get worse. But for some reason, and I don’t know why, as the movie went along the language seemed to not matter that much. Usually for me, the use of the F word and especially repeated use is a big turn off. I don’t even like it in some war movies because it is over done. It is just too bad that than directors don’t seem to trust their talent enough without relying on the F bombs to get the rating that they think will draw the most people. I very much appreciated the not showing details of the alluded sexual encounters and infidelities. This was a story being told and every detail was not necessary. In this case, I think the R rating deterred more people than the movie drew. That’s too bad. Because for the most part it was an enjoyable movie. And I’m glad we went.

 

[Richard_White]

Well, I saw the play on Broadway and loved it, so I’m looking forward to seeing it in the theatre within the next couple of weeks. I don’t necessarily like the repetitive swearing, but it’s a great storyline. Plus, I like the music of the Four Seasons!

May God bless you all!

 

[Rick09]

I’m glad I came across your review, Zab. On the recommendation of some friends who saw it on the stage, I was going to go with my wife. I think I’ll pass now. I agree with you on the F - bomb. It’s just a complete turn-off. Shame they had to ruin it this way.

 

[tawny]

Well, I saw the play on Broadway and loved it, so I’m looking forward to seeing it in the theatre within the next couple of weeks. I don’t necessarily like the repetitive swearing, but it’s a great storyline. Plus, I like the music of the Four Seasons!

May God bless you all!

Same here. I’ve been a Four Seasons fan since day one. The Broadway show was excellent & deserved the Tony. I’m looking forward to seeing the movie too. It’s a real life story about what really happened with Frankie Vallie & the group. No punches pulled, the truth, faults & all.

 

[zab]

I’m glad I came across your review, Zab. On the recommendation of some friends who saw it on the stage, I was going to go with my wife. I think I’ll pass now. I agree with you on the F - bomb. It’s just a complete turn-off. Shame they had to ruin it this way.

You know…knowing about the offensive language throughout the movie beforehand almost prevented us from going. Even my husband said he didn’t want to go see it because of that. I don’t want to sound like I am excusing the offensive language. I still think it could have been better without it. but like I said, for some reason I could get past the language (as well as the little seeming slight with the Catholic nun-just my initial reaction), better than I could handle it in other movies. The movie seems to run a little slow for a while but it is telling a story building up to a wonderful ending. So Neither do I want to discourage some from going to see an otherwise good entertaining movie.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

I’m glad you enjoyed it, but I’m also glad you told me about the swearing, because I just cannot take that kind of language.

I will instead stay happily home with my Four Seasons CDs and enjoy the music. I’m already familiar with the story, so I’m not ‘missing’ anything, but I don’t need to have ‘the darker side’ in order to have a ‘balanced view’ of the band. I know they were flawed human beings like the rest of us, but I’m getting older (almost 58, and with raising a 3-1/2 and a 1-1/2 year old, the aging process has sped up by warp speeds), and I find myself shying away more and more from this kind of ‘airing all the dirty linen in public’. I’m not a family member, I’m not a personal friend, I’m simply a fan of a group that happened to write and record some pretty great music. I won’t be a ‘bigger’ fan if I watch a Tony-award winning musical, or a movie rendition thereof. I won’t be less of a fan if I don’t watch them, either. My ears and my eyes are starting to fail a bit, so I want what they see and what they hear to be absolutely worthwhile. Give me the music, but spare me the F-bombs.

 

[VeritasLuxMea]

Saw it, loved it. I’m only 30 so I wasn’t around (obviously) and I didn’t know much about the musicians, but I was surprised at how many of their songs I knew. I just didn’t know they had that many hits.

I didn’t take much from the nun scene. She didn’t do anything that weird to me. She drank wine, that’s all. Some nuns do, I’m sure. Other than that, she acted perfectly reasonable. The only truly weird thing about the nun scene was the fact that the cop arrested one of them for B&E but not the other two.

The language didn’t bother me much. It sounded authentic.

All in all, a good, fun, interesting movie.

 

[cheezey]

Who would like to take me to see this movie?

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I saw the movie and enjoyed it, mostly because I enjoyed the music.

My reaction to the scene in the church was that this was not a 1950s church even though it was pretty and old looking. The altar out away from the wall is not the way churches were set up in the 50s. I doubt many people would have noticed or cared about that detail.

The language initially was jarring but I think was probably realistic. It stopped bothering me after the initial scenes.

I loved the way they staged the finale. It felt like I was seeing a play with the big ending rather than a movie.

All in all kind of a sad story, but I’m glad I went.

 

[dixieagle]

We saw the show in Las Vegas several years ago and enjoyed it, though they hit you over the head immediately with the F word and keep on hitting. Sadly, it’s likely the way they talked.

Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons were the featured performers at our Boston College Commencement Ball back in 1974 (and they were “retro” then!)

 

[7_Sorrows]

My friend saw it today with her husband.
She also mentioned the use of the F-word, but said they enjoyed the movie. Her only complaint was that it was a little long.
I haven’t decided if I am going to see it yet.

 

[Rick09]

My friend saw it today with her husband.
She also mentioned the use of the F-word, but said they enjoyed the movie. Her only complaint was that it was a little long.
I haven’t decided if I am going to see it yet.

Did you hear if there’s any nudity or sex scenes? That’s a deal-breaker for me.

 

[Richard_White]

Did you hear if there’s any nudity or sex scenes? That’s a deal-breaker for me.

I’m pretty sure there’s not…there wasn’t any in the real play or on the little rating box in the corner of the trailer on the TV.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Did you hear if there’s any nudity or sex scenes? That’s a deal-breaker for me.

Not sure about sex scenes but I did ask my friend about nudity and she said no nude scenes.

 

[zab]

No nudity. Sexual encounters were alluded to but not shown.

 

[signit]

Big fan here who’s seen the musical in two different cities and saw the movie this weekend.

I definitely would go, especially if you like that kind of music…

I didn’t care for the language, either, but it’s no surprise “Jersey boys” talk that way among themselves.

And I agree; the finale is memorable.

 

[randomuser]

I’m a little surprised nobody has mentioned the blatant “pro-gay” bias in this movie, particularly considering a key character (the record producer) is gayer than a $3 bill and the whole “Walk Like a Man” scene. I will never think of that song the same way again.

I’m also very surprised there was no end-credits “where they are now” bit that’s commonplace in a lot of biopics. Frankie Valli is actually still touring today - paying off that debt? - and plays Phoenix in September - though it’s not clear if he’s touring with a “cover” band (i.e., session players) or with the Four Seasons portrayed in the movie.

 

[signit]

I’m also very surprised there was no end-credits “where they are now” bit that’s commonplace in a lot of biopics. Frankie Valli is actually still touring today - paying off that debt? - and plays Phoenix in September - though it’s not clear if he’s touring with a “cover” band (i.e., session players) or with the Four Seasons portrayed in the movie.

I’ve seen the real Frankie Valli a few times in recent years. Instead of the original Four Seasons he has four younger singers with him. Even though they do some of the singing for him, it’s still a great show.

 

[zab]

I’m a little surprised nobody has mentioned the blatant “pro-gay” bias in this movie, particularly considering a key character (the record producer) is gayer than a $3 bill and the whole “Walk Like a Man” scene. I will never think of that song the same way again.

I’m also very surprised there was no end-credits “where they are now” bit that’s commonplace in a lot of biopics. Frankie Valli is actually still touring today - paying off that debt? - and plays Phoenix in September - though it’s not clear if he’s touring with a “cover” band (i.e., session players) or with the Four Seasons portrayed in the movie.

While the record producer did come across as gay, I did not perceive a “pro-gay bias in the movie”. If there was one, it was over my head. At that time, gays were “in the closet” and not willing to openly declare their sexual preference. The flamboyantly dressed Liberace until his dying day denied that he was gay. He even won a lawsuit about it. Some of our most handsome, masculine actors like Rock Hudson and Raymond Burr were later reported to be gay. Then there are people such as girls who were called “Tom boys” and men who have feminist manerisms who are totally straight. So as far as I was concerned, there was no need to continue speculating on the sexual preference of the producer. While he was in the story, the story was not about him.

 

[VeritasLuxMea]

I’m a little surprised nobody has mentioned the blatant “pro-gay” bias in this movie, particularly considering a key character (the record producer) is gayer than a $3 bill and the whole “Walk Like a Man” scene. I will never think of that song the same way again.

“Pro-gay” bias? I don’t know what you mean. It’s certainly hinted rather heavily that Bob Crewe was attracted to men, but I don’t think the film made any particular comment about that.

I guess it’s “pro-gay” in the sense that no one calls him a *** while beating him over the head with a baseball bat. But that seems like a pretty reasonable type of “pro-gay” to me.