Beyond the Sea

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Beyond the Sea

PG-13,

2004,

2h 1m,

Biography/

Drama

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Watchlist

43%

150 Reviews

Tomatometer

64%

10,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

43%

Tomatometer

150 Reviews

64%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

As a boy, Bobby Darin (Kevin Spacey) nearly died from rheumatic fever. While it left him with a weakened heart, it didn't weaken his desire to become the most popular singer in the country. Knowing that he's living on borrowed time, Bobby works nonstop to conquer the pop and jazz worlds with hits like "Splish Splash" and "Mack the Knife." But as the '60s come into full swing, Bobby sees his style of singing fall out of favor, and his marriage to actress Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth) suffer.

Critics Consensus

Kevin Spacey's bio of singer Bobby Darin is either a fearless piece of showmanship or an embarrassing vanity project, according to critics.

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Paul Clinton (CNN.com)

CNN.com

Dec 30, 2006

Many people under 40 may not even remember Bobby Darin, let alone know about his remarkable life story. Beyond the Sea may rectify that problem and stand as a wonderful tribute to an amazing talent who left us all too soon.

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Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

May 3, 2005

D

Gimmicky recounting of the crooner's life.

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Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

Jan 15, 2005

1.5/5

Much more 'Splish' than 'Splash.'

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Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

Nov 6, 2019

[Beyond the Sea is] about a man; a man who only wanted to be remembered as a human being and a great performer. And it's a film that may just garner an Oscar nod for another great performer, Kevin Spacey.

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Sean Nelson

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

Aug 22, 2017

Beyond the Sea ranks among the worst films of its sub-subgenre because its director/star only seems interested in making the film to exploit his remarkable physical resemblance to the title character.

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Peter Sobczynski

eFilmCritic.com

Apr 12, 2011

3/5

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Hagrid R

Jan 16, 2019

): Kevin Spacey goes one up and not only stars but also directs this biopic on the singer Bobby Darin. Beyond the Sea is a passable biopic but when there are better options such as Ray(Ray Charles) or myriad of jazz musicians one wonders if this was needed. Granted Spacey is a fan of the tragic singer and wants to give his homage but the one glaring issue with the film is with the casting of Spacey himself. Put it bluntly he was too old to play the boy singer who reached his highest accolades in his early 20s and passed away when he was 37. On the other hand, Spacey does something Jamie Foxx never attempted: sings. Darin's performances are all Spacey. The musical sequences deliver an extra jolt of energy because we're aware that the actor playing the singer is actually doing the singing, rather than lip-synching to a recording. Great music and a few good scenes do not a movie make, but if you're a fan of Darin or his era, Beyond the Sea will likely represent an undemanding place in which to try the water.

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Aug 11, 2018

Overall i did like it.

Hermione P

Jul 4, 2017

A refreshing change to the boring biography style movie. Spacey nails every song, every step in every scene of this positive review of a talented mans life.

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Harry G

May 20, 2017

Did nobody bother to read the script before deciding to film this ?

Anakin S

Apr 15, 2017

Something different for Kevin Spacey, and his singing voice is as good as his speaking voice, but although the dance numbers are nice and it is well put together, it comes off as a lesser All That Jazz.

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Luke S

Feb 6, 2017

Not bad for a musical. Mostly I like Kevin Spacey.

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Kevin Spacey

Director

Kevin Spacey

Bobby Darin

Kate Bosworth

Sandra Dee

John Goodman

Steve Blauner

Bob Hoskins

Charlie Cassotto Maffia

Brenda Blethyn

Polly Cassotto

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Synopsis

As a boy, Bobby Darin (Kevin Spacey) nearly died from rheumatic fever. While it left him with a weakened heart, it didn't weaken his desire to become the most popular singer in the country. Knowing that he's living on borrowed time, Bobby works nonstop to conquer the pop and jazz worlds with hits like "Splish Splash" and "Mack the Knife." But as the '60s come into full swing, Bobby sees his style of singing fall out of favor, and his marriage to actress Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth) suffer.

Director: Kevin Spacey
Producer: Kevin Spacey, Arthur Friedman, Andy Patterson, Jan Fantl
Screenwriter: Kevin Spacey, Lewis Colick
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Visionview, Trigger Street Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Some Strong Language|Scene of Sensuality)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 11, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 1, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.1M
Runtime: 2h 1m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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