Brian Wilson biopic: Love and Mercy

This. Can't unsee John Cusak.

 

Could've been worse... could've been Jack Black or Zack Galifianakis playing middle-aged Brian...

 

Every time I see this thread title I think of "Love" by Mercy

 

That is unfortunate.

 

Fortunately, it was a great song.

 

Unfortunately, it has nothing at all to do with a Brian Wilson biopic.

 

The Thread Title does, however, and I think Free Speech, opinions, thoughts and observations are acceptable here or have you decided otherwise?

 

I decided otherwise. Then I had love and mercy on us all...

 

Well, although a Day 1 and continuing BW Fan, I'm not a fan of biopics, as they distract me from enjoyment of the music.

I was recently reading a highly detailed song-by-song account of his work and stopped reading because it was just simply TMI.

 

Mind you, in the late 1980s (when most of the Cusack scenes are set) Brian Wilson looked more like Don Henley than he did Brian Wilson!

As I said upthread, Cusack doesn't look much like Brian, but he has the speech patterns and the movement of his face exactly down. To me, he gives a more natural performance than Dano.

 

Not 100% sure that this is the official movie poster but it looks like it might be.



Also of note...Brian mentioned (to a question) in his Twitter Q/A that the full trailer would be out "in a couple of weeks". Taken absolutely literally, that would be this week.

Hoping so...

 

Love & Mercy full trailer:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153229149892241

 

Looks like lots of Melinda and Gene Landy drama in the biopic.

 

From everything (reviews, screenplay) it sounds like the breakdown is 50/50 between "Brian Past" and "Brian Future". The "Brian Past" scenes are like 5-10% flashbacks to the Beach Boys meteoric rise and then the making of PET SOUNDS and SMiLE and then mental breakdown. Most of the "Brian Future" scenes are about Brian and Melinda's romance and getting away from Dr. Landy, late 80's and early 90's.

Trailers have to pick an angle and this one does well juxtaposing what the film is actually about. Again, from all I have read about it. Brian coming apart (1960s) as he puts himself back together (1980s).

 

Those angles make sense, but I wouldn't call the Landy-era, "Future".

 

Screenplay lingo.

 

I would've called it "Twilight Zone."

 

Maybe I should't be, but I'm really surprised at the lack of enthusiasm for this film.

- Shrug -

 

Reverse for me. Dano seemed exactly like I'd imagined Brian must have been like back in '66. Cusack just seemed like Cusack. Where do I recognise the guy playing Landy from? He seems to have nailed the sleazebag quality of Landy from the few brief seconds he was on screen.

 

The guy playing Landy is Paul Giamatti, who's best known for Sideways and American Splendor.

He is definitely made out to be a villain in the movie, a psycho with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Anyway, trust me on how good Cusack's performance is. The trailer doesn't do it justice. The movie has a number of long takes in it and Cusack is electrifying.

 

Cool, I really like Cusack as an actor.

 

Theatrical Poster, created by Kii Arens



http://www.ew.com/article/2015/04/23/brian-wilson-love-mercy-poster

 

Yeah, maybe a bit too much for my tastes, and that's the part that they're likely to distort the most. I can see the angle--the meteoric rise to glory, the mindbending descent into madness, and then the inspiring return as Brian fights to overcome his demons and find love again. Oh well, I just hope that they get the 60s part right and Paul Dano seems like a strong choice.

 

Me too, but he's really not going to work as Brian Wilson.

 

I saw it tonight. It had its problems, but it was impressive in most respects. Paul Dano is absolutely mesmerizing as the young Brian Wilson. I'll be shocked if he isn't at least in the conversation come awards season. Cusack gets an A for effort, but I never forgot that I was watching John Cusack.

Actually, the film's most effective scenes were the ones set in the recording studio, depicting Wilson as he made Pet Sounds and "Good Vibrations." Those are the kinds of scenes that usually get botched in movies like this, but I think even Beach Boys geeks will be pleasantly surprised at how well they were handled. It helped that those scenes were actually shot at the former Western Recorders and not on a set.

P.S. Clever casting of Chuck Britz's character.