Spacey Intends Well In Lackluster Bobby Darin Biopic

Kevin Spacey is arguably one of our most talented actors today. There's no arguing this or the fact how versatile he is in his endeavors. However he may have bitten off more than he can chew in his latest showcase as a producer, director and actor in his valentine to the late entertainer Bobby Darin.

As Darin, Spacey has a passing somewhat uncanny resemblance and manages to incorporate his own vocals and passable dancing to the proceedings at hand with Darin's many hits as well as showing Darin as not necessarily the most satisfied artist in show business whose ambition may have exceeded his divine talent. The same could be said for Spacey in this vanity fare.

The biggest setback for the biopic is the unwise device of having a Mini-Me version of Darin in the form of Darin as a child (the charisma-free, wincing at turn by William Ullrich should solidify this as his only foray into show biz) in a fantasy dreamlike attempt to show Darin directing his own autobiographical film showcase (Spacey however gets a nice smile of recognition when someone argues he's too old to play himself!) that mars the storyline as well as the somewhat clumsy attempt to show a few numbers like an old MGM musical with colorful costumes and sets that only illustrate how untimely the tale may be.

Darin was diagnosed as a child with rheumatic fever and given a death sentence of not living past the age of 15 so naturally with the biological clock ticking he had nothing to lose (and everything to live for) when he made it to adulthood and set forth (no matter the cost) to be the biggest singing sensation since Frank Sinatra, his idol, including a stint in acting where he meets his future wife, Sandra Dee (a pallid Kate Bosworth), a meringue pop star (think Jessica Simpson of her day) whose air-headed safe demeanor is like catnip to the on the prowl lounge lizard and after a brief courtship on the set they get hitched and start a family. Everything in between begs to differ with Darin hell-bent on touring and after a debacle of losing his nod for an Oscar begins to realize how he no longer may be relevant to America even to the extent of the turbulent '60s becoming an ersatz hippie.

Spacey clearly can handle the role and does a fair job directing but may have been shortchanging himself by not having someone else to guide him or at least have his back when things weren't clear (as much isn't made to the audience: namely Just Why Do We Need to Know About a Questionable Celebrity?) At best it's a noble failure.

Film Rating: êê1/2  (out of 4)