Love & Mercy

aka: Love and Mercy
USA 2014, 116 minutes
Dir. Bill Pohlad
Rating: [M] Drug use and offensive language
Genres: Drama, Music

Topics: Period 1960s, Period 1980s, Mental Health.

Feat. John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti, Jake Abel, Joanna Going, Kenny Wormald

“an eloquent tribute to a great American innovator.”~Peter Bradshaw , The Guardian

Aroview: Finely attuned portrait of Brian Wilson, the mercurial singer, songwriter and leader of The Beach Boys, and his struggles with his emerging psychosis as he attempts to craft his avant-garde pop masterpiece.

Paul Dano is something of a deadringer for the young Wilson, and the re-creations of his fertile 60's period are lovingly rendered as you'd expect, but its John Cusack who provides the emotional anchor, surprisingly suited to playing the middle-aged Wilson at his most vulnerable.

Member Reviews

Average rating (Good Enough). Showing 1-3 of 3 member reviews.

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3 stars (Good Enough) Respectful and detailed, and the unusual structure probably offers more insight than a linear narrative would. Not sure if it quite comes off, but the reconstruction of the 'Pet Sounds' sessions is worth anyone's money. ~HiFi
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4 stars (Very Good) Thoughtful writing, enhanced with expressive editing and sound, makes it succeed where many Hollywood music-biopic fail: as human drama. Dano and Cusack are excellent but Banks and Giamatti deserve kudos too. ~fairbrother
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2 stars (Good Try) Its about time they got rid of these dramatisations and leave it to the documentary maker particularly with difficult subjects like Brian Wilson. Cusak is a good actor but he struggles here. Giamatti who excels in hysteria is in his element. ~Tubbs