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Created Oct 13, 2012 01:32AM PST • Edited Jan 20, 2021 01:33AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Good 3.0

   The Peter Principle personified: Kevin Spacey reached his level of incompetence by writing, directing and starring in Beyond the Sea, a surreal biopic of Bobby Darin. The starring part was mostly fine.

   The writing and directing parts, not so much.

   Darin’s terrific songs make the movie an object of fascination nonetheless, as does its idealized portrait of mid-century showbiz. Bobby Darin & Sandra Dee were one of Hollywood’s all-time effervescent pop culture couples – he a legendary pop singer, she a Teen Screen Queen. Beyond the Sea indeed.

   Spacey essays Darin reasonably well, especially the bravura singing. Kate Bosworth models Sandra Dee, albeit never getting below her pretty surface. Think of them as dream lovers who can never dream alone.

4. Acting

   Good 3.0

   Kevin Spacey ably recreates Bobby Darin’s lounge lizard affectations, especially his laidback singing posture. He also more than ably handles the singing of Splish Splash, Beyond the Sea and Mack the Knife. However, his line readings often come across as phony, notwithstanding that he’s playing a show-biz guy. Blame the writer, guy name of Spacey. Plus he’s too old for the role. Blame the producer, Spacey again.

   Kate Bosworth is less successful as teen queen Sandra Dee, not least because she doesn’t begin to convey the depth of self-harm that plagued Dee. Perhaps she was attempting to channel Dee’s limited acting talent.

   Even the great John Goodman doesn’t flesh out his role as Darin’s loyal manager. Why? The writer.

   Bob Hoskins and Caroline Aaron chew the scenery as Darin’s father figure and “sister.”

   Brenda Blethyn is perhaps the most successful member of the company as Darin’s “mother.”

   The ever glamorous Greta Scacchi makes a memorable impression as Sandra Dee’s stage-mother.

5. Male Stars Very Good 3.5

6. Female Stars OK 2.5

7. Female Costars Good 3.0

8. Male Costars Good 3.0

10. Film

    OK 2.5

    Writer-director Kevin Spacey chose to make his film a surreal montage inspired by Darin’s life. Oops.

11. Direction Barely OK 2.0

12. Play Pretty Bad 1.5

13. Music Really Great 4.5

    Darin’s hits occupy half a wing of the pop canon. He became a star as a Fifties rocker with Splish Splash, then switched to smooth singing lounge songs when every other rocker was moving the other way. Mack the Knife, Dream Lover and Beyond the Sea were so stupendous that he went to the top of the pops anyway.

    Then the Beatles invaded. But until then…

    Yes, that line forms on the right, babe.
    Now that Macky’s back in townn!!

14. Visuals Very Good 3.5
15. Content

16. Edge

    Tame 1.4

17. Sex Innocent 1.3

18. Violence Gentle 1.0

19. Rudeness Salty 2.0

21. Reality

    Glib 1.5

    Surreal CircoReality isn’t a good choice for a biopic.

22. Circumstantial Surreal 2.4

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0