Biopics. Often a formulaic introduction to the life and work of a well known artist: childhood trauma followed by inspiration to survive and live beyond said trauma followed by drug dependency jeopardizing career and family followed by finding true love and being clean and sober, i.e. Lady Sings the Blues (1972), Ray (2004), and Walk the Line (2005). This film is different.
Love & Mercy (2014) is a biopic, directed by Bill Pohlad, that doesn’t directly follow the typical, tired formula as it casts two actors to play the role of Brian Wilson 20 years apart. While many of the same elements are present in the film, they are simply alluded to or implied. Not directly spelled out in a dramatic moment with a startling soundtrack indicating that this is an important event. Instead, Wilson’s father is shown moping and complaining about being fired as the band’s manager only after the fact; or the rise of The Beach Boys is shown in a 70’s-tv style video montage; or Brian is shown lying in bed to indicate his reclusive period.
The movie starts off in Brian’s head, foretelling the film’s recurring theme. The genius sound in his head. The sounds in his head are his success as he captures them in the studio as Pet Sounds and “Good Vibrations” as well as his downfall as his obsessions lead to failed relationships and mental health issues. Love & Mercy jumps back and forth from early to late to early and back with little detail. Sometimes a theme carries over from one time period to the next but not always obvious; maybe if I was to study film more I can better connect transitions but it is not necessary. Only once or twice did I consciously ask myself why the two scenes were juxtaposed. Overall the transitions work well both as a narrative and stylistically.
Paul Dano remarkably emulates Brian Wilson in the era directly before and after the creation of Pet Sounds. Dano’s performance effectively stands up against the studio masterpiece of that album; directing the Wrecking Crew in realizing the sounds Brian hears in his head.
John Cusack portrays the later Brian under the care of Dr. Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti) and the blossoming love story with Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks). The love story is a slow-burn and relatively realistic in it’s on-again and off-again nature, though certainly dramatized. I wonder, although the relationship spawned Carnie and Wendy Wilson, to what extent the love affair was between Brian and his first wife, Marilyn. Their duet on The Beach Boys 1977 album Love You just doesn’t show the chemistry expressed between Brian and his second wife in the film.
Overall, one would benefit from multiple viewings of this film as there are a number of layers to this movie. The camera is unobtrusive in capturing life moments during the periods portrayed and the film is stylized to match Brian’s musical genius. Not as absurdist and fractured as Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There (2007) but just enough to be surreal. While some would prefer a broader representation of Beach Boys hits in the soundtrack, the movie is enhanced by staying limited to the Pet Sounds era; even using instrumentation and samples from the original sessions. Brian Wilson wrote “One Kind of Love” specifically for the film and is included over the end credits, but the live version of “Love and Mercy” takes the cake. Highlighting Wilson’s pop creativity rivaling that of Burt Bacharach.
- Subject: 4.50
- Camera: 4.00
- Style: 4.25
- Soundtrack: 4.00
- Overall: 4.25
- Total: 4.20