Love & Mercy (2014)

In the 1960s, Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson struggles with emerging psychosis as he attempts to craft his avant-garde pop masterpiece. In the 1980s, he is a broken, confused man under the 24-hour watch of shady therapist Dr. Eugene Landy.

Director:

Bill Pohlad

Writers:

Oren Moverman, Michael A. Lerner (as Michael Alan Lerner)

Stars:

John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 19 wins & 52 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Dano	...	Brian - Past
John Cusack	...	Brian - Future
Elizabeth Banks	...	Melinda Ledbetter
Paul Giamatti	...	Dr. Eugene Landy
Jake Abel	...	Mike Love
Kenny Wormald	...	Dennis Wilson
Brett Davern	...	Carl Wilson
Graham Rogers	...	Al Jardine
Erin Darke	...	Marilyn Wilson
Joanna Going	...	Audree Wilson
Bill Camp	...	Murry Wilson
Nick Gehlfuss	...	Bruce Johnston
Mark Linett	...	Chuck Britz
Johnny Sneed	...	Hal Blaine
Gary Griffin	...	Al De Lory

Storyline

Brian Wilson is the creative soul of the Beach Boys, but he paid a heavy price for his talent. That especially shows during his peak artistic years in the 1960s, as his inner demons and obsessions trying to please his abusive father drive him to a mental breakdown that would plague him for years. In the 1980s, with Brian barely functional under the domination of the unscrupulous Dr. Landy, Brian meets and falls in love with Melinda Ledbetter. As their relationship grows, she observes Brian's crippling subservience to the abusive psychotherapist with growing alarm. Ultimately, she must take action with a love willing to stand up to oppression she cannot ignore.

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Plot Keywords:

the beach boys | hearing voices | voices inside the head | mental illness | medical malpractice | 

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Taglines:

The Life, Love and Genius of Brian Wilson

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, drug content and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 June 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ahava va'khesed

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$2,122,177 (USA) (5 June 2015)

Gross:

$12,547,189 (USA) (25 September 2015)

Company Credits

Production Co:

River Road Entertainment, Battle Mountain Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dano alternates throughout the film between singing for real and lip-syncing to original recordings of Wilson's singing.

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Goofs

Dialogue suggests that the "Smiley Smile" album was completed by the Beach Boys without Brian's involvement; archival tapes show that he was actually very involved in the album's recording.

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Quotes

Brian Past: Okay, let's go again, please. Let's think of this feel a little harder. Okay? A little stronger. Let's really hit it now, okay? Here we go!
[the cello player plays a repetitive slew of notes]
Brian Past: Okay, one more time, please! *Ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka*!
Mike Love: They know the ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka! They're doing it! Brian, they've been doing it for the past three hours! Oh my God...
Brian Past: Okay, Mike, you can leave if you don't want to be here, thank you, I'm working with the cello players. Okay, ...

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Crazy Credits

First, there's concert footage of the recent Brian Wilson, himself, singing "Love & Mercy", and then at the very end there is audio of a brief recreated studio recording of Good Vibrations, with '60s Brian leading the dialogue.

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Connections

References Sympathy for the Devil (1968)

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Soundtracks

Good Vibrations
Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love
Performed by The Beach Boys
Courtesy of Capitol Records
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises
Contains voice excerpts of Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Chuck Britz and Hal Blaine

User Reviews

In My Room

I saw this movie last night at the Elgin Theatre as part of the Toronto International Film Festival(TIFF). The Elgin was a perfect setting, as the theatre is built in an old fashioned and artistic way as probably most of the theatres looked in the early 60s when the Beach Boys started their careers. I almost wanted to cry when I came out of the movie. Several things struck me most about the film. The character of Dr. Eugene Landy was totally Gothic in his perverse behaviour, he was truly scary to look at. In contrast, the relationship between Melinda and Brian balanced the tension and eventually was able to be the catalyst for Brian to break out of his virtual imprisonment with Landy.

I grew up in the 60s and loved all the songs from the Beach Boys. In the 1990s I read a book about the band called "Heroes and Villains" by Stephen Gaines. I had no idea, however, how abusive Brian's father had been, not only physically but emotionally. The movie portrayed the creative aspects of Brian's work in the studio and the working of his imagination. Paul Giamatti did such a good job of playing the psycho that this set me off for most of the movie. Melinda's ability to recognize the genius and decency of Brian being the counterpoint. The acting was excellent and you come away with the realization of the great price that many artists have to pay to get their work out there!