Jersey Boys

I needed to see a movie in theaters desperately and this was it. It wasn't a complete disappointment but it could have been better.
I was part of the problem as the story was not something I could get behind. Four petty criminals, some of whom have dealings with the mob, form a boy band and slowly their music works its way into the hearts of millions across the country. I don't like that criminals can still become famous. Now, sure it took a lot of hard work and some shady deals to get them there, but when they win over the hardworking, honest man, I just don't approve. And when they bring down the good, I just get angry. But that's a me problem.
If I get my personal opinion out of the film, it wasn't really bad. The performances were all decent, with John Lloyd Young as the lead singer Frankie Valli a particular stand out, but he received great support from Erich Bergen as Bob Gaudio, the writer behind the group, Vincent Piazza as Tommy DeVito, the evil wheeler-dealer of the group who digs them deep into debt and Michael Lomenda as Nick Massi who goes as far as to lie to his children, saying that he's really their uncle so he doesn't feel guilty about not being there to tuck them in at night. Christopher Walken (who has aged considerably since Hairspray just seven years ago) also appears as a staunch supporter of Frankie's who helps him out in the time of a jam. Renee Marino is Mary Delgado, Frankie's long suffering wife who turns to the bottle as her marriage fails. Joey Russo plays Joe Pesci, that's right, the guy who eventually becomes an actor got his start working at a bowling alley, convincing Tommy to add Bob to the group.
The music also grew on me as the film went along because the music is not of my generation and I have never heard it before and Valli's voice takes some getting used to. Full disclosure, having never heard Valli sing before, I have no idea if Young is nailing his distant singing style but I certainly hope he is.
Now the problems with the film. The film has changing narrators, with Tommy starting out and then Nick taking over before all of the briefly explain their lives at the end of the film when they reunite at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which is odd but it is also odd that the narration isn't given in a voice over but the actor instead breaks the fourth wall, common in Boardway shows, uncommon in Hollywood and a technique that I don't really like in films because it breaks the realism and continuity for me. And the story is set up oddly, only after everything hits the fan do you go back and get more details from Nick's point of view. And though the film is largely an ensemble piece, the last half an hour or so focuses greatly on Frankie alone as he tries to rescue his daughter, Francine (Freya Tingely) from her destructive path of drugs, probably putting more blame on her mother than necessary. He fails and his first song back after her death did almost bring tears to my eyes as even though it is a love song, I felt like he was singing the whole thing to his daughter. That was, hands down, the best scene. They brush over the family lives of the others, making the title non-applicable.
A review I read complained about the aging make-up for the last scene, and while it wasn't great, that was only a brief scene, not long enough for me to have a fuss about it. And there was a dance number at the end while the credits ran, something which I really liked.
Mechanically, the film was fine, with good cinematography, art direction and editing with the costumes being a stand-out, but still, I seriously doubt I will see this film again as it could have and should have been better. The lesson is a hard one to swallow, sure these guys became famous, giving the world tons of great singles, one was so good that a radio station played it for seventeen staight hours, ignoring threats from the police, but at what cost? Was it worth it? Digging themselves deep into debt, Frankie touring endlessly to pay it off, abandoning their families and losing contact with them? I can't say if it's worth it or not, but for me it wouldn't be. We don't know if the jersey boys think everything was worth it or not, the answer might be a chilling one. Grade: B