The Fabulous Baker Boys

Beau and Jeff Bridges, the sons of Lloyd Bridges really developed their careers apart from each other. Neither piggybacked on the other's success and while their father's name might have opened a door or two, Beau and Jeff never piggybacked on him either.

When they did a joint project each had a well respected career. The Fabulous Baker Boys is about a pair of musician brothers who have a double piano act, something like Ohman&Arden from the Thirties or Jose and Ampara Iturbi, brother and sister in a more classical vein. But they're not anything as successful as the examples I mentioned. They eke out an existence in the clubs in Seattle trying to scratch a living at what they love.

Beau takes a lot of guff to keep them employed as he's married with children and Jeff puts up with nothing. To liven up the act they decide a sexy girl singer is what they need and after some dismal candidates they find Michelle Pheiffer. But Michelle dishes out her own brand of guff and she causes The Fabulous Baker Boys to reexamine themselves and their lives.

Pheiffer got a Best Actress nomination one of four categories of Oscar nominations the film received. She dominates the film when she's on and not through sheer beauty. It was a well deserved performance, I love the scenes when she cuts Jeff Bridges down to size. She isn't easy on Beau either.

Lots of the kind of music I like, vocal and instrumental, is found in The Fabulous Baker Boys. That's a guarantee right there I would enjoy the film.

It's only too bad that Beau and Jeff could not work their father into this one.

Jeff Bridges and Beau Bridges are "The Fabulous Baker Boys" in this 1989 film also starring Michelle Pfeiffer. The Baker Boys have been playing dual pianos on the lounge circuit for years, with Frank (Beau) acting as the booking manager and accountant. When the bookings dry up, the brothers decide to hire a singer. She's Susie Diamond, a gorgeous blond with a sultry voice and sexy appearance that gives the Baker Boys the pizazz that they need to pick up better gigs and more of them. Of course, one can't wait for the handsome, quietly intense Jack (Jeff) and Susie to give into their sexual chemistry, despite Frank's warnings that Jack's hit and run technique will not work with a teammate. When Frank is called away on a family emergency, more than sex happens. Ultimately Susie's bluntness and ability to see a situation for what it is makes Jack realize he hates the act, hates the way his brother handles it, and hates himself for not pursuing work as a jazz musician.

Someone wrote that the plot is thin - not really. The sibling dynamics are real, pent up, and the product of years of lip-biting, Jack becoming more and more introverted and Frank more desperate to work so he can support his family. It takes an outsider to bring tempers to a boil.

The film is very well done, with great music throughout, including some very hot singing by Pfeiffer. The highlight of the movie is Pfeiffer rolling around on the piano as she sings to Jack. She's really at the height of her beauty and can compare favorably to any Hollywood goddess of the past. Her performance as a street-wise singer who's had it tough is excellent, right down to the chewing gum and the crystal jewelry. Beau Bridges is perfectly cast. He plays a working musician for whom music is a job - and yet he's proud of the act, insistent on having "Feelings" in every show they do, and likes songs like "Bali Hai." Then we come to Jeff Bridges, certainly one of the sexiest men to ever come down the pike - tall and handsome, he is the essence of true jazz musician here - passionate on the piano, cool, loving the night life and the attendant bad habits of drinking and smoking. He's all tied up in his inability to break free of his brother, and it's expressed in every non-expression, every puff of his cigarette. He's fantastic.

Another reviewer on this site stated that non-musicians probably can't understand Jack's frustration about the music. It's true, I'm a trained musician and related to his crisis immediately. But I think many people are in jobs they don't like, many people have a book they never finished because the kids came along - I think this is a very appealing story.

I remember this film getting a big build-up when it was released, but many people on IMDb feel it's underrated. I didn't realize it was, but if it is, it shouldn't be. What a movie - a strange kind of a love story for sure, between a man and his music, but a love story nevertheless.

What was really surprising about "The Fabulous Baker Boys" (a pleasant one) is that Michelle Pfeiffer can actually sing. Everyone knows this movie for her slinky performance on Jeff Bridges' piano, but I'd always just assumed she was dubbed over. She's got a nice voice. And going beyond just that scene, Pfeiffer has never been such a head-turner as she is here. My god, she is sexy in this movie.

It's not an easy movie to sit through, seeing as it details the ark side of show biz. Tensions show themselves from minute one, and just bubble throughout until they come to a head. Twice. There are two altercations in the story that are just painful (between Jeff and Michelle, and then Jeff and Beau). Speaking of the brothers Bridges, if that counts as stunt casting, then it's necessary. I don't think you could tell this story with unrelated actors. The real-life siblings bring a realism to this that heightens the emotion.

Rough movie, but a beautiful family story. Bittersweet to the end.

8/10

Jeff and Beau Bridges - brothers in real life - are here united to play brothers on the screen. It's not the first time real-life brothers have played fictitious brothers in a movie (in fact, in The Long Riders several famous siblings paired up to similar effect). However, The Fabulous Baker Boys really benefits from the pairing. The sibling rivalry that runs through this film feels very credible and very convincing, possibly because Jeff and Beau aren't really acting but are simply using their real-life love/hate brotherly attitudes to fuel their performances in front of the cameras.

It's a fairly thin story, but well told. Jack Baker (Jeff B.) and Frank Baker (Beau B.) have spent years working together as stage pianists in various bars, hotels and night-clubs around Seattle. Their long-running act begins to run out of steam and they find themselves playing to empty rooms.... even their more established employers begin to express doubts about their ability to pull in the big crowds. They decide to hire a female vocalist to spice up the appeal of their show and, after over thirty awful applicants, they finally unearth a winner in the shape of Suzy Diamond (Michelle Pfeiffer). Initially, Suzy provides them with a turn in their fortunes, but the future of the trio becomes cloudy when she and Jack develop sexual yearnings for each other. The problems don't stop there, with Frank and Jack slowly becoming more and more distant with each other as their views on how best to market their musical talents are revealed to be very different.

The Fabulous Baker Boys is extremely well-acted throughout, with Pfeiffer in particular giving an outstanding performance (she even sang most of her own songs). The main themes of sibling rivalry and unfulfilled talent are generally engrossing, and help to paper over the thinness of the story. Jeff acts rather moodily for much of the time and is very believable as a man working in the lower ranks of his trade when he could've reached the top. Beau is also in fine form as a performer who does what he does simply because it puts money in the family kitty. It's a hard film to describe, because it's not really about very much, but if you can adjust to the relaxed pace and just enjoy the leisurely development of the three main characters then you will come away from the film feeling thoroughly satisfied.

Steve Kloves 'The Fabulous Baker Boys' is indeed a Fabulous film, with a terrific screenplay as it's trump card. A story of two brothers struggling to make a living as lounge jazz pianists in Seattle. In desperation, they take on a female singer, who revitalizes their careers, causing the brothers to re-examine their relationship with each other and with their music.

'The Fabulous Baker Boys' has everything going for it, the direction by Kloves is simply outstanding. He keeps hooked all the time, in fact it's amongst the best I've seen from the 80's. Michael Ballhaus's cinematography is remarkable, so is William Steinkamp's editing.

Coming the to acting department, Jeff Bridges steals the show. He's fantastic, as always. Michelle Pfeiffer is excellent, this truly is amongst her best works. Beau Bridges is great, so sad no one has seen much of this gifted actor.

On the whole, this one's a must watch. Strongly Reccmended!