If someone told me that there was a biopic about Brian Wilson, initially I would reply, “Who?….Oh wait, Beach Boys. Not interested,” and keep it moving. I own a Greatest Hits CD by the Beach Boys and largely because of Kokomo (don’t kill me, I’m a child of the 80s). While I think that Paul Dano is a great actor, I am not a fan so I won’t see ANYTHING that he is in like many great actors, but when I saw the preview at a theater, there was a quick scene that showed John Cusack sitting in bed in a stark room, and the entire theater, including myself, audibly gasped at the sheer emoting excellence of John Cusack. I knew that I HAD to see Love & Mercy on the big screen. I even did some homework by seeing a documentary called The Wrecking Crew.
Love & Mercy is more than a biopic and is perilously close to a tragedy. Love & Mercy effectively shifts from the late 80s/early 90s to the 60s to show the beginning of the end and the end of the end of Wilson’s ability to function as an independent human being and artist. He is a prisoner of success and thinks he is helpless to not repeat cycles of abuse. Love & Mercy is not only an excellent period piece, but it has echoes of effective surrealistic cinema and iconic moments that reminded me of 2001 towards the end in its depiction of mental illness. It even had some sly moments of humor by alluding to Say Anything.
Because I saw Love & Mercy for Cusack, I gave him more attention than anyone else. Dear Tobey Maguire and Ben Affleck, even if you are limited into becoming a chameleon because of your physique and face, it does not mean that you cannot act the crap out of any role and become anyone. Cusack is such magnificent actor that even his hands should be part of a master class-Cusack, Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem all do it. In a perfect world, Cusack’s Wilson should be in a movie with Cusack’s character in Maps to the Stars, and Werner Herzog should direct it because if Cronenberg does, I may never sleep again or won’t be able to finish the movie!
I did not come for her, but I’m going to have to give a slow 80s clap of appreciation for Elizabeth Banks. She was not given many lines, and her role was largely restricted to physically and emotionally reacting to the madness around her, but damn, girl, you were able to go toe to toe with Cusack and Paul Giamatti so you are EVERYTHING. We had to believe that Melinda was not crazy herself for going along with that setup, and that she was more than a pretty face, but a strong woman with an inherent sense of self and discernment. The scene where she finally confronts Giamatti while barely saying a word should be a lesson in how to live your life.
If I have one regret, it is the fact that I did not compare Paul Dano and Cusack’s physicality in Love & Mercy to see if they coordinated their mannerisms. I do not think that they did, but Dano definitely transformed himself to actually look like Wilson. Again he is a great actor, but he has only reached me in Being Flynn. Something keeps me distant.
Love & Mercy isn’t exactly a movie that you will enjoy watching, but it is a good one and a must see for Wilson fans or anyone who loves the cast. If someone wants to give me the Pet Sounds CD, I’ll listen to it, but Love & Mercy did not convert me into a fan of Wilson though I wish him and his wife the best.