'Stealing Sinatra'

NEW YORK (Cable TV News/Showtime Film Website) - The opening frames of the latest Showtime film, "Stealing Sinatra," perfectly set the stage for a very funny and interesting film. Title cards inform us, "In 1963 an event rocked the nation.
This isn't it. But it really did happen."

Everyone knows that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, but around the same time, Frank Sinatra's son Frank Jr. was kidnapped. The title is a very clear indicator as to which event takes precedence in this film, which was premiered at 8 p.m. Sunday.

David Arquette plays Barry Keenan, the ringleader of the trio of men responsible for abducting Frank Jr. (Thomas Ian Nichols of "American Pie"). The character is an interesting one, and in the hands of any other actor could have been a really great performance.

Director of film is Ron Underwood ("City Slickers") paces the film very well. At 96 minutes it feels neither rushed nor too long. It also feels very authentic. The sets and the music give viewers the feeling of being in 1963, watching the events unfold as the characters are seeing them. James Russo as Frank Sinatra does a convincing job as "Old Blue Eyes," looking and sounding as much like him as could be expected.

In what should surprise roughly no one, Macy steals every scene he is in. Macy is one of those actors who seem to slip effortlessly into every role he plays. His facial expressions and vocal cues are so natural he hardly seems to be performing. He is simply behaving, simply existing up on screen for all of us to enjoy.
Had the movie been about Macy's character, it would have been great. Or if someone more believable than Arquette were in the main role, this would have been a really wonderful film.