Jersey Boys

[Max]

Has anyone seen the movie or the musical? I heard that the movie actually got pretty bad reviews. Even though I am a big fan of the Four Seasons, I haven't seen either one. What's strange is that in the trailer, the group is singing "Who Loves You?" in the 60's, which is a major error, given that it was from 1975. (I don't know if the musical made the same mistake.)

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[All My Shadows]

In the movie, they're singing it at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1990.

The only MAJOR inaccuracy I had a problem with was that they placed Frankie's daughter's death, which originally occurred in 1980, in the mid 1960s by having Bob approach Frankie with Can't Take My Eyes Off of You shortly after she died.

[Max]

AMS, thanks for the correction. At the end of the above trailer, it appears as if the group is singing the song in the 60's (because they are dressed in suits and they look really young, and it appears that they are singing that song). I am not too thrilled about the factual inaccuracy that you described, however.

I never realized how shady this group was, and how they unfortunately fit a bad Italian stereotype (when they associated with the mob). I believe that Nick Massi and Tommy DeVito had criminal problems, and Frankie Valli had a troubled love life. Given how innocent their songs were (and their clean-cut image in the 60s), it was easy for an ignorant person to be fooled into thinking that they were the epitome of morality.

[All My Shadows]

Actually, now that you mention it (I didn't watch the trailer just now, so I'd forgotten), it does sort of a weird effect at the end of the movie where the 1990 version of the group sorta changes back into their younger selves to give sort of an epilogue for each character, so that's probably what you're seeing.

I think the movie actually played up a lot of the shadier aspects of the group, or so I've read. It feels less about a singing group and more along the lines of a group of guys from the streets, and becoming a famous singing group is only a portion of the bigger story arc. The musical is more focused on the music, which makes sense.

[Max]

AMS, I could totally see how the movie could somewhat distort reality by playing up the shadier aspects of the group. It is really interesting to note how the movie contrasts with the play.

[Mr. Vixen]

I LOVED the musical but haven't seen the movie yet.

[sheilaforever]

Same here.

It's not your typical musical but it works brilliantly on Broadway 'cause of it's local (don't beat me to this, NYers!!!) story background...

[All My Shadows]

Well, maybe my choice of words was wrong. It's more that the musical played down the criminal elements. The things in the movie really did happen, and I don't think any of it was particularly distorted. It's just that if you've seen the musical, the movie might seem darker.

The performances from the leads were great, though. Especially Vincent Piazza, who played Tommy. It was a really good movie all around, and I've thought about going see it again.

[Bright Eyes]

A musical with mainstream music and the fact that Clint Eastwood is behind the film means I would never want to see this, but I do love to hear that my man, Vincent Piazza, is the best in the film. He's one of the best things about Boardwalk Empire, too. (And he sexy as hell, but that shouldn't matter for an actor, of course!)

[All My Shadows]

He plays the sexy bad boy angle really well in JB and there's a funny scene where he's in only a towel while proceeding to dirty up all of the other towels in the hotel room, leading to his bandmate/roommate later going all the way in on the misery of having to live with him on the road.