For this biopic, Gary Busey dropped 35 pounds and did his own singing as Buddy Holly, the grinning, horn-rimmed Boy Scout of 1950s rock.
Busey plays Buddy Holly as a rock dynamo in a nerd’s body, turning songs like “Peggy Sue” and “Not Fade Away” into happy combustion.
The main reason to see this picture, which is enjoyable as a B-level movie is Busey’s rambunctious performance, which earned him his only Best Actor Oscar nomination.
Busey, then an unknown, shows effectively how Holly has channeled the spirit of early rock.
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