Tackling the life of Beach Boys' singer/songwriter Brian Wilson, Bill Pohlad's Love & Mercy is a deep character study that unveils more than you'd ever expect. Spanning his entire career, the film dives into Wilson's success, his creative process and his eventual nervous breakdown that brought an end to his band. Which also lead him to the controversial and manipulative Dr. Eugene Landy.
While the film succeeds thanks to its incredible story, credit must be given to both John Cusack and Paul Dano. Portraying the musical genius at different points in his career, both actors step up to the plate with stellar performances. From the detailed mannerisms to his psychological paranoia, the two actors work together to create a linear character arc that works well with the steady stream of flashbacks encompassed within the film.
Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti hold their own as love interest Melinda Ledbetter and personal physician Dr. Eugene Landy respectively. Their work helps to round out Wilson's current state, showing the effect those around you can have on your own life. Neither actor ever demands your attention, instead allowing the story to come to them. And while Giamatti will have you up in arms with frustration, his interactions with everyone onscreen are something to be marveled at.
The flashback scenes with Dano offer up interesting insight in regard to Wilson's creative process and the difficulties that come with being in a band. Watching Wilson slave over new creative directions while questioning his own ability as he works for complete acceptance by those around him is, to an extent, exhausting. But it opens the story up, showing the geniuses of the problem that ultimately leads to his current situation.
As the story continues to progress, we begin to build a solid understanding of Wilson's current state, it is hard to not notice the simplistic nature of everything. While Hollywood has often gone out of its way to complicate stories and add in unneeded conflict, Pohlad stays the course here, giving viewers an authentic, albeit frustrating story to which they can relate to.
Love & Mercy refuses to be labeled, never relying too heavily on its music. Instead it combines all aspects of its story to create a film that is both entertaining and emotional to watch. The added pleasure of listening to some of the Beach Boys' biggest hits throughout"¦ That is just icing on the cake!
