Jersey Boys (2014)
(Clint Eastwood, US 2014, 134 min., 35mm)
Filmmaking at 80. After turning eighty in 2010, Eastwood turned his lens to American historical stories, including this musical biography of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, based on the stage play of the same name. Tommy and Frankie have three passions: music, girls, and crime. From the wrong side of the tracks, and in the mafia’s heavy shadow, they spend their nights stealing and playing. Lacking a unique look or sound, they are relegated to backup vocals—that is, until the group writes a song that highlights Frankie’s falsetto. Amid a whirlwind rise to fame, the group has to deal with mounting pressures and ultimately decide what it is that makes them happy. One of Eastwood’s most surprising films, it demonstrates that even at this point in his career, he is willing to take risks by stepping out of his typical genres.