Beyond The Sea

Kevin Spacey - highly acclaimed stage actor, artistic director of The Old Vic and double Oscar-winning movie star - takes a somewhat unexpected direction in his new project, a biography of rock 'n' roll singer Bobby Darin.

The story is a good 'un: Born in the Bronx, the sickly young Bobby is told he won't live beyond mid-teens.

Yet through a combination of luck, medicine and sheer determination, he ends up a massive star thanks to such timeless tracks as Splish Splash, Mack The Knife and, of course, Beyond The Sea.

Yet after success in the movies and marrying one-time co-star Sandra Dee (played here by Kate Bosworth) comes the inevitable decline and he dies, isolated and directionless, at just 37.

It seems to have been something of a labour of love for Spacey, who not only directs and stars in the film but sings the songs too.

While his vocals have won much praise, however, the same can't necessarily be said for the rest of his performance, which some have dismissed as self-indulgent.

The supporting cast, which includes John Goodman, Bob Hoskins and Brenda Blethyn, work hard but they can't disguise the fact that the lead man's performance simply isn't in the same league as the likes of The Usual Suspects or American Beauty.