Why Do Fools Fall In Love

 3/4

Starring: Vivica A. Fox, Larenz Tate, Halle Berry, Lela Rochon, Paul Mazursky, Pamela Reed

Rated R for Language and Some Sexuality

I'll be that as soon as you saw the title of this movie, Frankie Lymon's groundbreaking song started playing in your head.  I know it did for me.  There's no shame in it.  After all, it's a great song.  Bright, catchy and guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Unlike most musical biopics, this movie isn't about the artist.  By the time the film starts, Frankie had been dead for more than a decade.  Instead, this film is about three women: Elizabeth Waters (Fox), Zola Taylor (Berry) and Emira Eagle (Rochon).  Each one of them claimed to be Frankie's widow.  And they all want control of his royalties.

Frankie Lemon may only appear during flashbacks, but he's the beating heart of the film.  Thus the key to the film is Larenz Tate, who despite having two obvious handicaps (he is far too old for the role and not singing the songs) manages to be quite effective.  Tate captures Lymon's charm and energy; his concert scenes in particular are magnetic.  But he also conveys Lymon's vulnerabilities like his addiction and obsession with recapturing his past glory (he hit it big when he was 13 and faded into obscurity by 18).  I am reminded of Mara Wilson's article on cracked.com about her experiences with being a child starlet.  She explains that while adults understand that stardom is fleeting, children do not.  That explains a lot about Frankie Lemon.

As for the three women, they're solid.  Vivica A. Fox has no problem playing a brassy lady who bites off her lines with venom, but to be honest, she was better in "Set it Off."  Halle Berry is also good as Zola, the backup singer who captures his affections.  Lela Rochon does a lot with Emira, whose gentle nature may be a salve for the emptiness in his heart.

"Why Do Fools Fall In Love" was directed by Gregory Nava, who directed "Selena," another musical biopic.  This movie doesn't work as well.  Part of the reason is the episodic, "Rashomon"-like approach, which limits character identification.  But what is really missing is the passion.  When I watch "Selena," I feel his need to tell the story and what it means to him.  Watching Selena and her family in that movie felt like being a fly on a wall into this small circle of people.  I didn't feel that here.  Perhaps because, to one degree or another, everyone in this movie is a schemer, possibly a liar, and greedy.  Or in Frankie's case, a charismatic man who will lie to and steal from those he loves in order to get drugs, and then place them secondary to his obsession with stardom.

This movie isn't any kind of a masterpiece by any means.  It's pedestrian, formulaic and only workmanlike in its approach.  It isn't any better than it has to be.  But it contains some strong performances and some great tunes.  On that level, I was entertained.

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