Customer Reviews

Why Do Fools Fall in Love

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The filmmakers know you've heard this tale before - true life chronicle of a young singing star's rise and tragic fall - and so they wisely downplay the standard bio trappings and instead focus on a raucously entertaining ride through Frankie Lymon's woman troubles. The smart screenplay revolves around the court battle of Lymon's three wives (yes, three!) over song royalties, leading to vivid (and often humorously contradictory) flashbacks of their lives with the singer. Larenz Tate is magnetic playing the many different sides of the ever-changing lead character, but the film ultimately belongs to Halle Berry, Vivica A. Fox and Lela Rochon as the wives. Each is allowed to shine as the trio portrays 30 years of changes in the women's lives, with Fox drop-dead hilarious as the most outrageous of the three. There's beautifully detailed '60s-era cinematography, sets, costuming and musical numbers, plus a side-splitting turn by Miguel Nunez as a young Little Richard. Major issues (such as '60s race relations) are barely glanced at, but what this film lacks in depth, it makes up for ten-fold in entertainment value. A winner!

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I really didn't care for this movie very much. I suppose those who say they love it don't really know anything about Frankie Lymon or his music, and saw it as just another film about a famous singer who died before his time. It barely mentions anything about young Lymon's career with the Washington Heights' kid doo-wop group he started out with, The Teenagers - instead the focus was on his three wives fighting in court over whom was most entitled to the small fortune he left behind. In 1968, Frankie died at age 26 of a heroin overdose, but the story itself takes place in the 1980s, nearly 20 years after Lymon's death. Instead of a true biography of this young man's tragic story, we got this.

"Why Do Fools Fall In Love?", which obviously takes its title from the hit song that Lymon co-wrote, never really gives you the reason why Frankie (played by the talented actor Larenz Tate) was so very important in the history of R&B/rock and roll. He was a superstar by the time he was 13, but he was thrust into an adult world way before he should have. He experienced too much too soon - he lived fast, loved and partied hard, and died young. Ignoring the fact that he was the first teenaged idol of rock and roll (like the little Michael Jackson of his era) and was a huge influence on other kid groups that would come after his, in this film Frankie was overwhelmingly (and sometimes unfairly) portrayed as nothing more than some '50s rock n' roll has-been who was a womanizer, bigamist, and a violent drug addict. That in itself is a gross disservice to the memory of Frankie and his musical legacy. There were so many things about the life of this gifted young man that was not even addressed here, and it is downright insulting to his fans to try to pass this off as a biopic.

On top of that, the three actresses who played his wives (Halle Berry, Vivica A. Fox, Lela Rochon) got more screen time than Larenz did, and was billed over him. Excuse me, but wasn't this film supposed to be Frankie's story? Surely his upbringing and struggles as a teenage entertainer alone certainly would have been enough to make this watchable. I was not interested in seeing a movie about his wives. Who cares about them? They were all depicted as greedy, disgruntled women who only wanted the privilege of being legally called "the one and the only Mrs. Frankie Lymon" because money was involved. They certainly didn't seem to have much love for him.

Larenz Tate is one of my favorite actors and he did his best, but he was too old for the role of Frankie, at least at the age of 13, anyway. I had to wonder at just what age did he become involved with Zola Taylor of the Platters, because you're given the impression that he was dealing with her when he was only 13! The real fault in this film lies within the script, written by Tina Andrews (who was also responsible for the equally ridiculous script in a 1999 TV movie about the so-called "romance" between the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, and one of his female slaves, Sally Hemings). It was awful, and just not worthy of any of the actors' talents. It's clear that Ms. Andrews had little or no knowledge of Frankie's life story, so this is why we got a ridiculous film about his widows trying to cash in on his estate. Herman Santiago, one of the original Teenagers, had also written a screenplay about Frankie, but it was bypassed in favor of the one written by Andrews - maybe the producers should have reconsidered. Andrews was not there, but Santiago WAS. He could have given us more insight about the life of his former friend than someone who never knew him.

I gave it three stars for the musical performances, the footage of the real Frankie performing at the end, and a cameo by Little Richard, but I feel the definitive movie about his life has yet to be made. This doesn't even come close! He deserves better.

One of my favorite contemporary directors, today, is the great filmmaker, Gregory Nava. Nava is known best for the powerful EL NORTE, MI FAMILIA (MY FAMILY) and SELENA. He has great ability to combine warm humor with high drama, and [oftentimes] succeeds in shaping very compelling characters in the great stories he tells. Unfortunately, I don't feel that this really took place in WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE.

Frankie Lymon (Larenz Tate) was a legend, during his heyday. At thirteen years old, he was the lead singer of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. He also co-wrote the hit "Why Do Fools Fall In Love." This catapulted him into stardom, during the height of the do-wop era, in the United States. Not only was a trailblazer, due to his young age, but The Teenagers were a multiracial group, at a time where that was pretty progressive (the mid-1950s). Two of his band members were Puerto Rican, and Lymon and the other Teenagers were African-American. Success seemed synonymous with the name Frankie Lymon, but, as they say, "everyone will get their fifteen minutes of fame." Frankie's success took a u-turn, once his voice changed, and he began his descent into heroin addiction. In between his highs (and catastrophic lows--including the turbulent break-up between Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers), that left time and room for him in his schedule to get married to three women--at the same time! Of course, it wasn't nearly as straightforward as that. Botched court papers, troubles with addiction and unfinalized divorces led to this predicament. In the 1980s, the three women met face to face, and went on to take each other on in court, to determine who was to inherit Lymon's $4 million fortune. This co-stars Halle Berry, Lela Rochon and Vivica A. Fox, as the wives in question.

I found myself shaking my head in disappointment, thinking, "Ay, Gregory Nava, what were you thinking?" Okay, for starters, "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" is a great song. I won't argue with that. However, the song is almost constantly playing as the background soundtrack for this dramedy. I'm not exaggerating. It's great the first few times, but once you've heard it about ten times, you begin to wonder who was editing the film (or if editing even occurred). The other songs from the era are really great, classic tunes. They are undeniably catchy, but there are times where they feel more than a little manipulative. It's almost as though the director was relying on the music as a crutch for the film, so we'd forget the [slightly] melodramatic camera angles, uproarious emotional outbursts and shots of Lymon coming down or riding the high of his heroin use. Larenz Tate lipsynchs as well he can, and I do feel that he did a believeable job, playing Lymon here. However, Halle Berry (as Zola Taylor, female singer for The Platters), Vivica A. Fox (as Elizabeth Waters, a perpetual shoplifter) and Lela Rochon (as Elmira Eagle) felt more like caricatures to me than anything else. We have our diva, bad girl and church-going good girl. Three very different women for the three very different faces of the manipulative lothario, Frankie Lymon. And, he managed to fool all of them, equally. I realize that it's hard to portray the events of this story without it coming off as much more than an exploitative tabloid, due to the subject matter. Lymon tragically died of a heroin overdose at age twenty-five, just when he was contemplating getting his singing career together, after a long draught. It was very sad and unfortunate, and he was undeniably talented. What's more, the effect of his narcissism and addiction problems left tracks marks on many of his relationships. This wasn't a tribute, but more of an excuse to air the dirty laundry of someone too sick (and dead too many years), and it shows.

Unlike Jamie Fox in Ray Charles and Angela Basset in What's Love Got to Do With It Larenz Tate never got the character of Frankie Lyman right and that's why the movie just doesn't rise to what it could have been. First, Tate is way too old to play Frankie. The boy was only 13 when he recorded Why Do Fools Fall in Love. He was dead at just 26. Second, the movie fails to show what a huge talent Frankie Lyman was and it doesn't, perhpas delberately, dwell on what a tragedy his life was. The movie should have been about how the talented black artists of the 50s were cheated out of their royalties (Ray Charles was the rare exception), used and discarded. Instead it focuses on the widows. No discussion is given to why at least two of these women were messing with a teenaged boy and they are presented simply as the victims of Lyman's habit. When and how the teen was introduced to heroin, who made his decisions for him, and how many child labor laws were broken in the exploitation of Lyman are not even approached. The scene where he ends up dead is shot so quickly that there's no emtional resonance at all. It seems like other than gathering for his funeral nobody at all was thinking about this kid.

This movie could've been another Lady Sings the Blues or at least another Bird but instead the producers chose the easy way and gave the audience a weak soap opera. Waste. Hopefully somebody will do a documentary on Lyman's short, pitiable life.

I enjoy watching this movie but it is by no means a good film. I'm only 25 but I'm a big fan of the doo-wop era and the movie really doesn't do the Frankie Lymon story justice. Larenz Tate does his very best but he was too old to play Frankie Lymon. Frankie was only 13 when he hit it big and the film never goes into the real tradegy that was Frankie Lymon, the first teenage rock'n'roll superstar and the first over the hill celebrity. You can only imagagine what a fall that must have been. I've heard that his voice changed when he hit puberty and that's when his career went sour. The movie completely ignores these details of Frankie's life and centers on the women who fought over his estate when he died. An interesting back story but Frankie's talent deserved more
That being said, I do enjoy watching this movie. Tate does what he can in the concert parts but I wish there had been more. All in all it is a cute little story. My favorite part is the very end when you get to see a small glimpse of the real Frankie Lymon and you can see that one of his shows must of been pure magic. I wish the speacial features would have had a documentary with some more vintage Frankie Lymon clips.
Worth buying but get it used or at a discount

The title fits the movie's subject because these women were foolish to falll in love with him. Despite his early career in music and rise to fame, he was on a path to destruction, which he could have controlled. Frankie Lymon, lead singer for the group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, had the voice that made girls across America scream. But watching the movie, he was also selfish because he used his own members, who were also his friends to pursue a solo career; which was never achieved. He married Zora Taylor, a member of The Platters, Elizabeth Waters, and Emira Eagle; none of whom he divorced.
The movie got me to wonder if any of these women could see below the surface of this man. Why did they allow him to descend into drugs and self-loathing? If one really loves someone, they would either help them through or send them packing. It was obvious that he had them on a string. All three of them had to go to court to prove they were legally married to him and collect money from his estate. Unfortunately, the music industry wasn't as legally together as it is now. Therefore, any claim to what he sang is out of their reach.
Lymon's music still lives on as a reminder of the "good old days" when music wasn't sexually explicit and musicians could actually sing.

If you remember Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers,you'll love this film. Lymon died of a drug overdose at age 25 in 1968. His most successful hit to date was of course,WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE?. The Beach Boys loved the song so much themselves that they covered it in the sixties. Great cast consisting of Halle Berry and Vivica A. Fox.

I never knew much about Frankie Lymon until I watched this movie. He was one of my father's favorites. This movie, while it did not cover everything and sometimes it was historically inaccurate, it gave a good review of Frankie's rise and fall as a doo-wop star. The acting by Halle Berry, Lorenz Tate, Vivica Fox, and Leah Rochon was superb!

I couldn't bring myself to like Why Do Fools Fall in love. But I could bring myself to loathe it with tremendous contempt. A shallow biopic with no style or substance, it barely skims the surface of the Frankie Lymon's life story or gives us any idea of what a rocky road the musician had in his short lifetime. Only a fool could love this mess of a movie.

Why Do Fools Fall in love supposedly details the civil trial three of Mr. Lymons wives have over the royalties for his fortune. That's right wives. It seems the late Frankie Lymon married three different women in between touring and drugging and years later everyone has to go to court to sort it out. As the court case goes on we are dragged through three shallow stories told from the perspectives of the wives: A petty thief and round the way girl, Zola, A singer from the group the platters, and a Georgia schoolteacher.

Each tries to convince us they are the real Mrs. Lymon and why they should get the$4 million in back royalties. Each gives a woe-is-me tale of how they were conned by Frankie Lymon who is what-a musician! In between marriages he earns their trust, hustles them for drug money, rips them off and leaves them with nothing. (Poor ladies, no one ever told them Musicians are ALWAYS womanizing drug abusing cads!) Now they're looking for payback from the record company. I won't give away who is the real Mrs. Lymon is this movie is JUST TOO AWFUL TO SPOIL.

Why Do Fools Fall in Love? The real question I had to ask after watching this movie is: Why did I waste my time watching this ridiculous movie? Bird this isn't. Ray this will NEVER be. Heck this isn't near the quality of the Temptations Mini-series or even The Five Heartbeats. This movie is an insult to Frankie Lymon and his fans. This movie is an insult to anyone's intelligence. The only message of this movie is: Sistas should never trust a junkie. Especially if he's a one-hit wonder who isn't smart enough to manage his own finances.

Why Do Fools Fall in Love falls apart due to its poor production values, inept direction and terrible script. The director has no idea how to shoot this film. He uses many of the wrong shots to shoot his story. For the concert scenes The Camera is on stage with the performers and that takes away from the emotional impact of the story. This is to cover Larenz Tates body doubles dance moves, but the camera needs to be in the audience watching along with the crowd so we can experience what they experience. He takes no time to create tension in his shots, and uses wide shots during scenes when close ups would have built up the story.

The poorly written screenplay doesn't dig deep enough into Lymon's story or the characters personalities. I barely got to know Frankie Lymon or his impact on the music scene in the 50's and 60s. I never learned why he got close to these women or if he ever cared for any of them. I didn't even learn why he became a drug addict or why he got involved with all these women. Was it the fame? Was it the drugs? Was it because he was just a creep? Hard to tell because this movie it tries to cram all these stories into a 90 minute time frame and hope for the best.

Production values are ridiculous. Why do Fools Fall in love doesn't feel like a feature film, it feels like a made for-TV movie or a made-for-video piece. We don't get a sense of the time of the 50's 60's or the 80's when the court case is takes place. Everyone wears clothing of the time, but we never get a sense of these eras in history from the sets. It's clear the producers took no time to research the history of the time period or the story of this man's life.

Larenz Tate struggles in the role of Frankie Lymon. His performance borders on Hairspray campy. Viveca A.Fox is great as Lymon's first wife. She channels the chicken head within. Halle Berry Struggles in the role of Zola. I couldn't believe she was a singer. In some scenes she's on and others she's off. I can't blame her this time; the erratic script here doesn't give her much to work with. Lela Rochon also struggles as Lymon's third wife; but that's due to the script, which gives her oh about two minutes to tell her character's story. Miguel A. Nunez Jr. Is NOT little Richard. All I have to say. Little Richard is Little Richard though.

Don't be a fool. Avoid this movie. If you want a great biopic about Motown musicians get Ray, The Temptations Mini-Series, or Clint Eastwood's Bird. Or if you want a fictional story about Motown music get The Five Heartbeats.

Back in 1967, Frankie Lymon gave an interview with Ebony magazine about his life. Around the early 1990s, Rhino records did a very complete bio of Frankie in the liner notes to a Frankie Lymon's greaters hits CD (an excellent buy in itself, I may add). The screenplay seems to be based on those two sources and if so, it's pretty close to life. The scene where Frankie (Lorenz tate) tells Zola (Halle Berry) why he uses drugs is key to understanding this phenomenon. A great film.