Film Review – Love and Mercy
2 min read
Based on factual events of famed group The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, Love and Mercy illustrates Wilson’s celebrated career, second marriage and his unstable mental state. It depicts the highs-and-lows of Wilson’s life – from his renowned career and exploited psychiatric state – and showcases the musical rise of The Beach Boys. Directed by Bill Pohlad (producer of 12 Years a Slave, Into the Wild), creates a accomplishes a well-driven and original piece of film through excellently selected cast members and concise storylines.
Pohlad superbly demonstrated the gruelling yet genuine depiction of the artistic process, showcasing the demanding conditions of an musician and the physical toll on the human mind. Love and Mercy does an exceptional job at representing the truthful deterioration of Wilson’s mental condition. Like the 2014 breakout film Whiplash, this film accurately details the hardships of the musicians and how it is easy for persons can manipulate the human mind. As an independent and film festival piece, the film shows the nitty gritty, emotional study of the subject matter.
Undeniably, the outstanding performances of past (Paul Dano) and future (John Cusack) Brian Wilson are the highlights of the film. Impeccably cast, Dano is magnificent as a Wilson; soulful and natural, he showcases an authentic and believable portrayal of the artistic Wilson. Cusack provides a intriguing look at an older Wilson, however, Dano is the unquestionable star. Notwithstanding the supporting cast, Paul Giammati as the infamously cunning psychotherapist Dr. Eugene Landry and Elizabeth Banks as Wilson’s second wife provide excellent performances that further inspire the authenticity and artistry of the film.
Composer Atticus Ross (The Social Network, Gone Girl) exceptionally creates and utilises the best of the Beach Boys musical catalog, producing an authentic and innovative atmosphere of the band, as well as the shifting eras. Michael Alan Lerner and Oren Moverman delivered a sufficient screenplay that produced a effective storyline for emotional impact.
An accurate – stated by Wilson himself – and acclaimed depiction of Wilson’s life, Love and Mercy demonstrates a poignant and brilliant biographical recount of Brian Wilson.
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