Love and Mercy - News and Reviews - First clip is out.

[sea of tunes]

Thanks for the first hand insight fellas.  You know how some people are already waiting with baited breath for the new STAR WARS this December (me too, actually) but...LOVE & MERCY is that kind of must-see film for me.

Totally cannot wait — massive understatement.

Upthread someone wondered about the decision to release the film in June.  I can't help but think that it was to in some way also create a buzz about "I Am Brian Wilson" (the biography due from Coronet Publishing, this fall) and vice versa. 

[Bittersweet-Sanity]

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/04/14/paul-dano-loses-plot-beach-boy-brian-wilson-trailer-love-mercy

“It was a matter of trying to figure out the best way to paint a portrait of this guy,” explains Love & Mercy director Bill Pohlad. “For me, there were two things that started it. Number one, obviously I was into Pet Sounds and knew that [was] the pinnacle of his creative process. So I wanted to deal with that. And then, as I was starting to get to know Brian and Melinda, Melinda told me the story of how they met. She didn’t know who he was, and actually thought he was maybe a homeless guy or something, but he was very charming, and it was only later that she found out he was Brian Wilson. That intrigued me as being a good way into the story. So, that’s how it started—with intertwining those two core storylines and periods.”

[Les P]

I saw the movie in Atlanta and the trailer is a decent representation of it, but the pacing is totally wrong. It's less of a love story than it seems in the trailer. It's a weighty experience to see the actual film and I nearly cried at a few of the Dano scenes because they were done so well.

That's a good point.  It's not like there are 30 minutes of running time devoted to Brian and Melinda in bed or something.

[shadownoze]

You ain't seen nothin' yet, folks. The trailer seems like a typical romantic-comedy-drama in its pacing and structure...and the movie is anything BUT typical. Those of you who got emotional over the trailer? Take copious amounts of Kleenex when you go to the theater. It is a powerful movie that will reinforce any affection for Brian that you already have, and take it to a whole new level. I can't wait to see it again.

[Les P]

Upthread someone wondered about the decision to release the film in June.  I can't help but think that it was to in some way also create a buzz about "I Am Brian Wilson" (the biography due from Coronet Publishing, this fall) and vice versa. 

That may be, and to me a summer release makes perfect sense for a Beach Boys related movie...I'm sure Capitol is hoping the film will boost summer sales of BB greatest hits as well as NPP.

[18thofMay]

Rolling Stone= no idea.

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/videos/brian-wilson-faces-manipulation-in-new-love-mercy-trailer-20150414

[Awesoman]

Rolling Stone= no idea.

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/videos/brian-wilson-faces-manipulation-in-new-love-mercy-trailer-20150414

Love & Mercy: The Melinda Ledbetter Story is looking pretty good! 

[buddhahat]

Wow, I hadn't realised the official trailer was out. That looks incredible. Weird that I should be moved so much by a trailer. Further down this rabbit hole of fandom than I realised I guess! Cannot wait until June ...

[wilsonart1]

In times I wonder, does the line "Can we bring a horse in here"  somehow ties into Andrew G. Doe and this chat room.  A welcome addition! 

[sea of tunes]

http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/videos/a34349/love-and-mercy-trailer/

You hear the Beach Boys two ways in your life. The first is usually as a kid, likely in the backseat of a hot car with the windows down during a family road trip, everybody putting their aggravation on hold for the duration of at least one sing-along. "Kokomo," "I Get Around," "Surfin' U.S.A."—songs you hear once and instantly know by heart. If and when you dig a little deeper into the band's history as you get older, you begin to hear traces of the real Brian Wilson, the sick Brian Wilson, the sad one hiding in plain sight behind songs like "God Only Knows" and "That's Not Me" (for starters). Sweet songs, sure, but not overtly sunny and carefree, not the same songs that made you feel unadulterated happiness when you were young.

Wow, that's very spot on.  Take away "Kokomo" and this mirrors my experience with Brian/Beach Boys music to a 'T'. 

39 years old now...late 70s and early 80s in the car with my mother hearing those songs that felt already engrained in my DNA.  Only to, some years later in my early 20s re-discover the music.  Hearing it with young adult ears just as he writes.

I have a feeling there will be a lot of people (both young and old) that see "Love & Mercy" and will (as the trailer says) 'Once you know the story, you'll never hear the music in quite the same way'.

Such a simple sentence but such absolute truth.

[debonbon]

Just watched the new trailer twice. f*** me.

[buddhahat]

http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/videos/a34349/love-and-mercy-trailer/

You hear the Beach Boys two ways in your life. The first is usually as a kid, likely in the backseat of a hot car with the windows down during a family road trip, everybody putting their aggravation on hold for the duration of at least one sing-along. "Kokomo," "I Get Around," "Surfin' U.S.A."—songs you hear once and instantly know by heart. If and when you dig a little deeper into the band's history as you get older, you begin to hear traces of the real Brian Wilson, the sick Brian Wilson, the sad one hiding in plain sight behind songs like "God Only Knows" and "That's Not Me" (for starters). Sweet songs, sure, but not overtly sunny and carefree, not the same songs that made you feel unadulterated happiness when you were young.

Wow, that's very spot on.  Take away "Kokomo" and this mirrors my experience with Brian/Beach Boys music to a 'T'.  

39 years old now...late 70s and early 80s in the car with my mother hearing those songs that felt already engrained in my DNA.  Only to, some years later in my early 20s re-discover the music.  Hearing it with young adult ears just as he writes.

I have a feeling there will be a lot of people (both young and old) that see "Love & Mercy" and will (as the trailer says) 'Once you know the story, you'll never hear the music in quite the same way'.

Such a simple sentence but such absolute truth.

Yes, that does nail it. I loved the BBs music as a kid, kind of lost touch with it as a teen but then had some mental health problems in my late teens and was introduced to Surf's Up and Pet Sounds albums. Compared to the songs that I'd loved as a child (Fun, Fun, Fun, Surfing USA etc) it seemed like the work of a totally different band. It really resonated with the part of me that had had some bad drug experiences and was freaking out at that point. I can think of no other music which has the ability to reflect my own (very different) experience of life over a 38 year period.

I remember listening to When I Grow Up as a kid and during the "won't last forever' tag I would fantasise about growing up and what adult life would be like. Now when I listen to the song I am that adult yet it takes me back to listening to it as a kid - what a paradox! It's almost like time travel! Such a simple lyric yet it perfectly captures the fleetingness of time and the melancholy one feels comprehending it.

[Paul J B]

You ain't seen nothin' yet, folks. The trailer seems like a typical romantic-comedy-drama in its pacing and structure...and the movie is anything BUT typical. Those of you who got emotional over the trailer? Take copious amounts of Kleenex when you go to the theater. It is a powerful movie that will reinforce any affection for Brian that you already have, and take it to a whole new level. I can't wait to see it again.

I figured as much by all the other comments by people that have seen the film but its nice to be reassured. That trailer does come off as more of a love story biopic than we know to be true but maybe its intended for the less informed viewer. Or, as it were, appealing to the "chick flick" crowd. And I don't mean that in a bad way....nothing wrong with that.

The acting, directing, sets look awesome.

[SteveJ1980]

Any news on UK release date??

[debonbon]

I'm almost certain this will be out on dvd/bluray in the US before it gets to cinemas in Australia.

[dellydel]

So um, did 80s era Brian Wilson really jump off a boat with Melinda?  I'm gonna guess noooooooooooo?

(altho I know Brian will uncharacteristically do "brave" things like getting into the ocean on a surfboard for that skit with Aykroyd and Belushi, and I believe there's video of him cliff diving in Hawaii in the 60s, right?)

[Larry Franz]

(I was typing this at the same time. It's cosmic.)

I don't want to sound negative or picky or cynical or anything like that in this moment of excitement, good feelings and high expectations, because the movie is clearly going to be wonderful, and I understand artistic license, even in a cinematic biographical context, but it's still bugging me:

Brian jumping in the water with Melinda and then swimming what looks like quite a distance to shore?? (I thought he doesn't even like the ocean.)

Besides, if Mr. Brian Douglas Wilson wanted to get to the beach from that boat, couldn't he just walk?  

[wilsonart1]

You and Me America were gonna walk into this theatre and everything is going to CHANGE...this summer.  Brian this is your wave!

[rab2591]

I was fortunate enough to see this trailer when it was first released for that short bit of time. I've been dying to see it ever since.

Truly one of the best movie trailers I have ever seen. That moment when Dano takes his headphones off, and towards the end of the trailer when he is crying...MAN this is going to be a powerful movie. No doubt in my mind this will be THE movie that will really help change that fun/sun perception of the Beach Boys. Not that there's anything wrong with fun/sun/happiness, but I want people to know the incredible depth of this music, to know the story behind all the sadness and joy. There is so much more to this music than people think. I really can't wait for this!

[Autotune]

So um, did 80s era Brian Wilson really jump off a boat with Melinda?  I'm gonna guess noooooooooooo?

He relates to Usher that he tried to commit suicide by swimming into the ocean in the mid 1980s. So he did swim.

[Musketeer]

I have not seen the movie but I would guess they did that to get some private time away from Landy's  assistants.

[Ray Lawlor]

(I was typing this at the same time. It's cosmic.)

I don't want to sound negative or picky or cynical or anything like that in this moment of excitement, good feelings and high expectations, because the movie is clearly going to be wonderful, and I understand artistic license, even in a cinematic biographical context, but it's still bugging me:

Brian jumping in the water with Melinda and then swimming what looks like quite a distance to shore?? (I thought he doesn't even like the ocean.)

Besides, if Mr. Brian Douglas Wilson wanted to get to the beach from that boat, couldn't he just walk?  
[/quote
So it starts.
It happened. It's accurate. The only thing in the scene that is not accurate is the color of Melinda Ledbetter's dress

[Larry Franz]

Ray Lawlor wrote:

So it starts.
It happened. It's accurate. The only thing in the scene that is not accurate is the color of Melinda Ledbetter's dress

I think it started some months ago, but thanks for clearing that up. It looks like I wasn't the only one wondering.

[Summertime Blooz]

(I was typing this at the same time. It's cosmic.)

I don't want to sound negative or picky or cynical or anything like that in this moment of excitement, good feelings and high expectations, because the movie is clearly going to be wonderful, and I understand artistic license, even in a cinematic biographical context, but it's still bugging me:

Brian jumping in the water with Melinda and then swimming what looks like quite a distance to shore?? (I thought he doesn't even like the ocean.)

Besides, if Mr. Brian Douglas Wilson wanted to get to the beach from that boat, couldn't he just walk?  

Let's give the movie some artistic license for Pete's sake. Maybe it's a metaphor. I intend to view the movie as this director's viewpoint of what happened to BDW, not a freakin' documentary.

[guitarfool2002]

(I was typing this at the same time. It's cosmic.)

I don't want to sound negative or picky or cynical or anything like that in this moment of excitement, good feelings and high expectations, because the movie is clearly going to be wonderful, and I understand artistic license, even in a cinematic biographical context, but it's still bugging me:

Brian jumping in the water with Melinda and then swimming what looks like quite a distance to shore?? (I thought he doesn't even like the ocean.)

Besides, if Mr. Brian Douglas Wilson wanted to get to the beach from that boat, couldn't he just walk?  

Let's give the movie some artistic license for Pete's sake. Maybe it's a metaphor. I intend to view the movie as this director's viewpoint of what happened to BDW, not a freakin' documentary.

No metaphor in this case:

So it starts.
It happened. It's accurate. The only thing in the scene that is not accurate is the color of Melinda Ledbetter's dress