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

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

I know some folks might think its standard Hollywood fare from the trailer, but it does an incredible job with the material and doesn't insult your intelligence or play it safe. Dano looks perfect in a glimpse and Cusack also had me a bit "hmmm" in the stills, but I don't think stills or quick shots do him any justice. He really captures BW's sense of humor and it's a really strong performance without being a physical exact clone or having a perfect head of hair. Wait till you see the movie!

"Wait til you see the movie!"  That's exactly what I plan to do Ontor, next week. 

[shadownoze]

You're going to recognize a lot of the clothes Paul Dano wears as Brian in this movie. The wardrobe, set, and production design is incredible.

[Cristian Kiper]

Just got back from the movie theater, and wow. I really really really liked it. As a hardcore fan, it's very hard for me to be objective and judge it as just another movie. I'd like to think that people that have no idea about the Beach Boys history will enjoy it just as much as I did, but who knows, for some reason some people don't even like Beach Boys music. But I'm a fan, and this movie, above all, is for the fans. The amount of detail and research that went into making it is way beyond what I was expecting. I'd say that 70% or 80% of the movie is just reenactments of things we've heard in studio sessions, or footage we've seen in documentaries, or interviews we've read in books or magazines, and most of them are word for word accurate. It didn't have to be this way, I don't think any fans would have complained if certain aspects were altered or even omitted; the only explanation is that all of that stuff is there just to make the fans happy. I won't spoil any of it, but trust me, you'll be amazed. Artistic liberties were taken here and there, the chronology doesn't always add up (no Today, Summer Days or Party after Brian stops touring, for example), but otherwise it would have been five hours long. I'd say the only victim of these liberties is Mike. Granted, I wasn't there in the 60s and can't say how things really happened, but I think he is portrayed as a much angrier person than he really is. A lot of the things he says in the movie are indeed things he's said in real life, but here he is shouting the words, not just saying them.

The Landy scenes are very disturbing. Since so much of the movie is accurate, it saddens me to think that maybe this truly is the way Landy treated Brian. The movie doesn't really touch on Brian's self destructive behavior (Brian mentions that he wasn't a good husband or father, but that's about it), so it may be hard for people who are not familiar with the whole story to understand how something like this was allowed to happen, but still, he's so evil in this movie... And he's also used as a plot device to touch on something that I really wasn't expecting: that Melinda may also be trying to just manipulate Brian. At one point he tells her "You are so manipulative... You think you can control Brian, too? Get in line". That was shocking to hear, I felt like I was reading one of the nastier threads in this message board More surprising is that Melinda doesn't answer back. It's left to the movie watchers to make up their own mind about it. Of course, Melinda is portrayed as a good person throughout the whole movie (as I'm sure she is in real life, just to clarify), and at no point are we given the impression that her intentions are anything but good. Still, it's something that could have been left out of the movie, but I'm glad it was included, and I thought it was handled very well. Like I said, this movie is for the fans.

The version I watched didn't have One Kind Of Love during the credits. First they show a live version of Love & Mercy (from the Brian Wilson On Tour DVD, perhaps? Need to check that), and then they start playing studio sessions for Good Vibrations.

I loved the sound editing. Again, I don't want to spoil anything, but most of the times I got goosebumps was because of the sound. If you can, you should definitely watch this in a movie theater, with proper surround sound.

One of my favorite bits:

Melinda: Is it true that you stayed in bed for two years?
Brian: No... Three years. At least that's what I tell people when they ask about it.

Brian admitting that he likes to mess with interviewers, loved it

[puni puni]

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:YFB24-BokV0J:www.dbbates.com/print/2008/10/heroes_and_villains.html+&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Very awkward pacing and a lot of weird moments. Love & Mercy looks incomparably better. I wonder if its screenplay will ever be made public.

[Pablo.]

I have watched L&M it this afternoon as part of the Buenos Aires Movie Fest.

First of all, for a fan it's impossible to approach it as a movie buff (even if you are the two things, as in my case) because we know too much. That said, I enjoyed it a lot. I think it could have been better but, then again, thank God it's not Summer Dreams. There's the intention of making an arty movie, even if that doesn't always succed. (there's a scene with Dano/Cusack/a child actor which is kind of the last scene  from 2001)

You'll find yourself crying several times. I mean, I cried when I watched the guys who portayed the guitar players play the 12-string arpeggios on You still believe in me! The recreation of the Pet Sounds (and to a less degree) Smile sessions is pretty uncanny. The script replicates the dialogue from the PS box set, so there's a high degree of accuracy (that also goes for the instruments and every design, from interiors to clothing). And Mark Linnet playing Chuck Birtz is a wonderful twist.

It's the typical movie where at the end there's text explaining "what happened after", because, in a sense, it's a movie without ending. The ping pong between (loosely) 65-67 and 85-91 doesn't always work in terms of storytelling.

The thing I liked less is that L&M kind of perpetuates the myth that Brian was a spent force after the Smile debacle and did nothing worthy until his solo career. It shows us the darkest sides of the Landy years but not the greatness of the 88 album. (Did Brian really showed the Love and Mercy secquence to Melinda on the piano or is it an artistic licence?)

There's shot-by-shots remakes of known videos, impressive (Inside Pop Surf's up) but sometimes pointless (Sloop John B).

About the casting: There's to ways of playing a real and known person. Either you mimic or you build a plausible character. The actors who played Brian exemplifies this two approachs. The resemblance between Paul Dano  and Brian is scary. I think Cusack is a great actor and I like is BW, but  he took some liberties in his portayal and, alternating with Dano mimicing Brian, is too contrasting. And his forehead is bigger. He's too old now, but 15 years ago, Tim Robbins would have been better. He did a great BW on SNL circa 89 or 90.

No one better than Paul Giamatti to play Landy. Elizabeth Banks is gorgeous, but I can't help but think that whoever casted her was flattering Melinda. Even if Mike Love (unsurprinsgly) is portayed as a kind of villain, he too got a handsome actor to portay him. There's a great VDP, too.

About the accuracy: some details I think were unnecesary
-Brian quits touring to work on Pet Sounds.
-Murry sells Sea of Tunes two years earlier.
-Smiley Smile is made by the rest of the Boys, without Brian.

And maybe I'm lacking some information, but, isn't Melinda's role on freeing Brian from Landy a bit overrated at instance of his blood family? (I didn't know that Gloria Ramos was Brian's housekeeper during the Landy years, though)

About the music: very interesting original soundtrack which reuses lots of snippets (mainly vocals, all dissected in the credits) in an approach similar to The Beatles' Love but much more ambient. Kudos to Atticus Roos. And to Darian for his coaching of Paul Dano. (The God Only Knows piano voicins are spot on)

Overall, you will come out of the theatre, even if you already knew it, impressed by how Brian is still alive and making music afer all the sh*t he had to endure.

[Pretty Funky]

I have watched L&M it this afternoon as part of the Buenos Aires Movie Fest.

First of all, for a fan it's impossible to approach it as a movie buff (even if you are the two things, as in my case) because we know too much. That said, I enjoyed it a lot. I think it could have been better but, then again, thank God it's not Summer Dreams. There's the intention of making an arty movie, even if that doesn't always succed. (there's a scene with Dano/Cusack/a child actor which is kind of the last scene  from 2001)

You'll find yourself crying several times. I mean, I cried when I watched the guys who portayed the guitar players play the 12-string arpeggios on You still believe in me! The recreation of the Pet Sounds (and to a less degree) Smile sessions is pretty uncanny. The script replicates the dialogue from the PS box set, so there's a high degree of accuracy (that also goes for the instruments and every design, from interiors to clothing). And Mark Linnet playing Chuck Birtz is a wonderful twist.

It's the typical movie where at the end there's text explaining "what happened after", because, in a sense, it's a movie without ending. The ping pong between (loosely) 65-67 and 85-91 doesn't always work in terms of storytelling.

The thing I liked less is that L&M kind of perpetuates the myth that Brian was a spent force after the Smile debacle and did nothing worthy until his solo career. It shows us the darkest sides of the Landy years but not the greatness of the 88 album. (Did Brian really showed the Love and Mercy secquence to Melinda on the piano or is it an artistic licence?)

There's shot-by-shots remakes of known videos, impressive (Inside Pop Surf's up) but sometimes pointless (Sloop John B).

About the casting: There's to ways of playing a real and known person. Either you mimic or you build a plausible character. The actors who played Brian exemplifies this two approachs. The resemblance between Paul Dano  and Brian is scary. I think Cusack is a great actor and I like is BW, but  he took some liberties in his portayal and, alternating with Dano mimicing Brian, is too contrasting. And his forehead is bigger. He's too old now, but 15 years ago, Tim Robbins would have been better. He did a great BW on SNL circa 89 or 90.

No one better than Paul Giamatti to play Landy. Elizabeth Banks is gorgeous, but I can't help but think that whoever casted her was flattering Melinda. Even if Mike Love (unsurprinsgly) is portayed as a kind of villain, he too got a handsome actor to portay him. There's a great VDP, too.

About the accuracy: some details I think were unnecesary
-Brian quits touring to work on Pet Sounds.
-Murry sells Sea of Tunes two years earlier.
-Smiley Smile is made by the rest of the Boys, without Brian.

And maybe I'm lacking some information, but, isn't Melinda's role on freeing Brian from Landy a bit overrated at instance of his blood family? (I didn't know that Gloria Ramos was Brian's housekeeper during the Landy years, though)

About the music: very interesting original soundtrack which reuses lots of snippets (mainly vocals, all dissected in the credits) in an approach similar to The Beatles' Love but much more ambient. Kudos to Atticus Roos. And to Darian for his coaching of Paul Dano. (The God Only Knows piano voicins are spot on)

Overall, you will come out of the theatre, even if you already knew it, impressed by how Brian is still alive and making music afer all the sh*t he had to endure.

In response to AGD's post earlier

Andrew;

Your dates are correct with regard to the filing of the lawsuit initiated by Carl, Audree, Wendy and Carnie. And yes, Melinda was officially cut off, by Landy, from Brian , starting 1989 , until they got together in 1993. What nobody could possibly know (actually maybe three or four people know) is what was going on “off radar”, or behind the scenes at that time; I was “in the mix” during that period and I remember it all too vividly. I have never said a word about it, but it is time I did.

First of all, it is abject fiction that she never saw Brian after being banned by Landy in 1989. Melinda had her own house in Malibu, which was three miles from the dump that Landy had Brian living in; and it was a dump. Brian had to jog six miles daily; the Landy goons were at specific checkpoints all the time; hell, they weren’t running.  He and Melinda saw each other constantly, on the sly. Brian would sneak to a phone booth and call her, and they would meet; albeit briefly; topic was always a progress report on getting him out of there, and of course, encouragement for Brian in such a sick , twisted situation. Remember; he was forbidden by this sicko to contact his family; so the two of them devised a system that worked.

Melinda (then) Ledbetter, met Brian in 1986 ; dated him until Landy found out in 1989 that ,not only was their relationship very serious, but also she was on to him and the bullshit he was doing to Brian; and had been on to him for some time. She was quickly and effectively blocked from all contact with Brian ,or so he thought, as shown above. During that time, both prior to being doused by Landy and after, she tried several times, unsuccessfully, to get the family involved in ousting this bastard. I remember that she got Audree’s cell number off her carphone bill, when Brian tried, unsuccessfully , to try and contact her; I also remember that Audree thought that Mike Love had put her up to calling ! By then it was pretty apparent that eliminating Landy would be a daunting task, as it was difficult to figure out who to trust, and who would weasel her out to Landy. Finally, she contacted the Attorney General, State of California, who told her what she already knew; that she needed to get Brian’s family onboard; without family involvement and consent, nothing could happen, and to that end, gave her Carl’s attorney’s information, Ross Schwartz and Jody Leslie.

Anyway, Melinda then had a few preliminary meetings, I believe, with Ross Schwartz, but soon found that Jody Leslie was “all ears” and was committed to help. It was Jody Leslie who finally convinced the family they needed to step in, after Melinda hand delivered Brian’s will to her, which had been given to Melinda by Andy Dean, one of Brian’s ‘bodyguards”, who developed a conscience after his girlfriend pushed him to help Melinda. This will had been dramatically altered by Landy, whereas he and his girlfriend/wife, Alexandra Morgan, became beneficiaries of 80% of Brian’s estate; Carnie and Wendy were left with 10% each; prior to that, the bulk of the estate went to Carnie and Wendy , with I believe , a smaller portion left to Carl. It was then that the family started the ball rolling with the conservatorship filing; additionally Carl was determined not to let Stan Love take custody of Brian.  This all started in 1989; even though blocked by Landy from seeing Brian, Melinda was relentless is trying to get him the hell out of there. She was asked by Jody Leslie to set up Landy getting served the conservancy papers at the Cadillac dealership; she was so scared of Landy by that time that when he arrived, she was in her office , doors locked , hiding under the desk, afraid of Landy’s erratic behavior. I know that there was a time, just before she was cut off from Brian, that she was secretly taping the mandatory Landy meetings, just in case something happened to her ; it was scary stuff.  I had to go through that bastard twice to see Brian ; I live in New York but Los Angeles was too close for me with Landy; he was that crazy ; I don’t know how she dealt with him , but to her eternal credit she did.
Anyone who loves Brian’s music owes, at minimum, a “thank you” to Melinda Wilson; without her perseverance in exposing Landy and getting the family involved, Brian would be long gone. Think about it; Landy was pumping him full up with all those meds and making him run six miles a day all jacked up ; it was only a matter of time before his heart gave out, or had a stroke.

Her role in getting Brian away from Landy should not and cannot be denigrated or minimized. The vitriol for Melinda Wilson by some on this board is uncalled for, usually over the top and misguided; personally I don’t get it, but from now on when it happens, I, for one, will have her back , armed with the facts.

Finally; I was reading in a few posts wondering what Brian’s reaction to the film was.  Here you go:  “I really liked the movie because the real life was so much worse”.

[Pablo.]

Great to read this, thanks. For the record, I have nothing against Melinda and yes, I'm thankful to her. I thought Carlhad gotinvoled via David Leaf giving him information on Brian's health supplied b Peter Reum (as it says on the  Peter A. Carlin bookP I still think that Carl's role could have been told better in the film, though.

[Rocker]

In response to AGD's post earlier

Andrew;

Your dates are correct with regard to the filing of the lawsuit initiated by Carl, Audree, Wendy and Carnie. And yes, Melinda was officially cut off, by Landy, from Brian , starting 1989 , until they got together in 1993. What nobody could possibly know (actually maybe three or four people know) is what was going on “off radar”, or behind the scenes at that time; I was “in the mix” during that period and I remember it all too vividly. I have never said a word about it, but it is time I did.

First of all, it is abject fiction that she never saw Brian after being banned by Landy in 1989. Melinda had her own house in Malibu, which was three miles from the dump that Landy had Brian living in; and it was a dump. Brian had to jog six miles daily; the Landy goons were at specific checkpoints all the time; hell, they weren’t running.  He and Melinda saw each other constantly, on the sly. Brian would sneak to a phone booth and call her, and they would meet; albeit briefly; topic was always a progress report on getting him out of there, and of course, encouragement for Brian in such a sick , twisted situation. Remember; he was forbidden by this sicko to contact his family; so the two of them devised a system that worked.

Melinda (then) Ledbetter, met Brian in 1986 ; dated him until Landy found out in 1989 that ,not only was their relationship very serious, but also she was on to him and the bullshit he was doing to Brian; and had been on to him for some time. She was quickly and effectively blocked from all contact with Brian ,or so he thought, as shown above. During that time, both prior to being doused by Landy and after, she tried several times, unsuccessfully, to get the family involved in ousting this bastard. I remember that she got Audree’s cell number off her carphone bill, when Brian tried, unsuccessfully , to try and contact her; I also remember that Audree thought that Mike Love had put her up to calling ! By then it was pretty apparent that eliminating Landy would be a daunting task, as it was difficult to figure out who to trust, and who would weasel her out to Landy. Finally, she contacted the Attorney General, State of California, who told her what she already knew; that she needed to get Brian’s family onboard; without family involvement and consent, nothing could happen, and to that end, gave her Carl’s attorney’s information, Ross Schwartz and Jody Leslie.

Anyway, Melinda then had a few preliminary meetings, I believe, with Ross Schwartz, but soon found that Jody Leslie was “all ears” and was committed to help. It was Jody Leslie who finally convinced the family they needed to step in, after Melinda hand delivered Brian’s will to her, which had been given to Melinda by Andy Dean, one of Brian’s ‘bodyguards”, who developed a conscience after his girlfriend pushed him to help Melinda. This will had been dramatically altered by Landy, whereas he and his girlfriend/wife, Alexandra Morgan, became beneficiaries of 80% of Brian’s estate; Carnie and Wendy were left with 10% each; prior to that, the bulk of the estate went to Carnie and Wendy , with I believe , a smaller portion left to Carl. It was then that the family started the ball rolling with the conservatorship filing; additionally Carl was determined not to let Stan Love take custody of Brian.  This all started in 1989; even though blocked by Landy from seeing Brian, Melinda was relentless is trying to get him the hell out of there. She was asked by Jody Leslie to set up Landy getting served the conservancy papers at the Cadillac dealership; she was so scared of Landy by that time that when he arrived, she was in her office , doors locked , hiding under the desk, afraid of Landy’s erratic behavior. I know that there was a time, just before she was cut off from Brian, that she was secretly taping the mandatory Landy meetings, just in case something happened to her ; it was scary stuff.  I had to go through that bastard twice to see Brian ; I live in New York but Los Angeles was too close for me with Landy; he was that crazy ; I don’t know how she dealt with him , but to her eternal credit she did.
Anyone who loves Brian’s music owes, at minimum, a “thank you” to Melinda Wilson; without her perseverance in exposing Landy and getting the family involved, Brian would be long gone. Think about it; Landy was pumping him full up with all those meds and making him run six miles a day all jacked up ; it was only a matter of time before his heart gave out, or had a stroke.

Her role in getting Brian away from Landy should not and cannot be denigrated or minimized. The vitriol for Melinda Wilson by some on this board is uncalled for, usually over the top and misguided; personally I don’t get it, but from now on when it happens, I, for one, will have her back , armed with the facts.

Finally; I was reading in a few posts wondering what Brian’s reaction to the film was.  Here you go:  “I really liked the movie because the real life was so much worse”.

I hadn't seen this before, so thanks Pretty Funky for bumping it up!
And thanks Ray for writing this post!

Sometimes we hear about Brian's tough managment from different sides including Mike. I don't know if it is true, but after what you, Ray, wrote in the above quoted passage, I guess no one could blame her for making sure that there'll never be any chance again that Brian gets dragged into such a hell.

[beacharg]

I've also watched it yesterday as part of the BAFICI festival in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
I don't want to repeat what have already been said, nor spoil the movie for those who haven't seen it; so very quick:

1) Very good movie! not excelent, not perfect; but way more than just good.
2) Great details... the clothes, the dialogues, etc.
3) All that chat about Cusack's casting is 100% BS... he plays a really good 80's Brian.
4) All the acting is very good, but honors for Paul Giamatti! Wouldn't surprise me if he gets a nomination for this.
5) There some inaccuracies, but not so important ones.
6) I think the movie needed just some 10 or 20 more minutes to explain better the resolution of some situations. Some little scenes are unecessary really, like for example ((( SPOILER ))) the Sloop John B promo video. Don't get me wrong, it's great to watch, but it does not add anything to the movie.
7) Most important thing: I think the movie is likeable for non-BBs fans. I went with my girlfriend and she really liked it. The had goosebumps sometimes. After watching the movie, I show her real photos and videos of the BBs, and she couldn't believe all the resemblance.

[RiC]

Those who have seen it, is there any reference to Carl and Dennis in the Cusack-part of the film?

[Larry Franz]

Don't know if these were posted here already or where they should go, but John Cusack used his phone to capture a little bit of Brian and his band rehearsing for the movie's wrap party:

https://www.facebook.com/officialbrianwilson/videos/10153240659862241/?theater

https://www.facebook.com/officialbrianwilson/videos/vb.34250497240/10153240666367241/?type=2&theate

(insert Auto-Tune reference of your choice)

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

Post removed...

[sea of tunes]

How did 1970s Faye Dunaway get into this discussion (kidding); Melinda does bare a resemblance there though, IMO.

There are scenes in "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times", Melinda on the hammock for example where a) she's quite beautiful but also b) I can see why Elizabeth Banks was cast.  It all fits. 

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

Post removed.

[beacharg]

Those who have seen it, is there any reference to Carl and Dennis in the Cusack-part of the film?

Yes. Very minor references, but there are.

[Pablo.]

I have watched L&M it this afternoon as part of the Buenos Aires Movie Fest.

About the casting: There's to ways of playing a real and known person. Either you mimic or you build a plausible character. The actors who played Brian exemplifies this two approachs. The resemblance between Paul Dano  and Brian is scary. I think Cusack is a great actor and I like is BW, but  he took some liberties in his portayal and, alternating with Dano mimicing Brian, is too contrasting. And his forehead is bigger. He's too old now, but 15 years ago, Tim Robbins would have been better. He did a great BW on SNL circa 89 or 90.

No one better than Paul Giamatti to play Landy. Elizabeth Banks is gorgeous, but I can't help but think that whoever casted her was flattering Melinda. Even if Mike Love (unsurprinsgly) is portayed as a kind of villain, he too got a handsome actor to portay him. There's a great VDP, too.

Really Pablo?  I have no problem seeing Elizabeth's resemblance to Melinda - photo mid-1980's:

I don't see it. It's just a matter of taste. (In that pic Melinda looks more like a 70s Gena Rowlands...) Banks is a good actress, anyway.

Oh, another licence I didn't like: Brian starts working on GV after PS...

[sea of tunes]

Yea I suspect that some liberties had to be taken in the name of making some sort of coherent linear story. 

Like, as you mention, not getting to Today, Summer Days and Party.  Neither liberty bothers me much because if someone wants to seek out that sort of minutia they will buy biographies (perhaps even the bio due later this year) or watch any number of the countless documentaries.

The main thing I'm looking for is does Pohlad 'get it right' within the confines of a 2 hour film.  All indications are "yes".

[Nile]

Oh, another licence I didn't like: Brian starts working on GV after PS...
[/quote]

I have no problem with this, ´cause Brian did start "serious" work on GV after finishing PS.. I think the first version (February 1966) wasn´t very long in consideration for PS...

[Pablo.]

The movie implies that he comes with the chords for the chorus after Pet Sounds, and makes no reference to Tony Asher's lyrics.  I understand that in a movie you have to simply certain things for the sake of brevity and storytelling, but, to me, that was unncesary. Specially coming after the spot on recreation of the Pet Sounds sessions (The scene for the Fire session is also very powerful). Anyway, I'm nitpicking.

[sea of tunes]

Aside from taking you back to the late 1980s this clip ("Crook & Chase"! blast from the past) is interesting because it mentions a script was being commissioned by Landy about their relationship and the dream cast would be William Hurt and Richard Dreyfuss and that the film would be called "Love & Mercy".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3r0Lc3vGKs&t=2m34s

Been meaning to post this clip for some time.  I flashed back to the 1990s at some point recently when I remembered reading or hearing that a film would be made from the "Wouldn't It Be Nice" autobiography.  And then of course later the "Heroes and Villains" book (referenced in screenplay form a few pages back) and finally this iteration that we now finally have. 

It is probably a blessing that it took so long to finally get this film out.  And, as if divine intervention happened, it fell to the right creative minds (Pohlad and Moverman) and the right talent (Dano, Cusack, Banks & Giamatti) to bring it to life.

At any rate, kudos to whomever runs this YT channel because it is a superb resource. 

[Pablo.]

Wow... There was another project even before that one. Nick Kent, on his NME piece from 1980 mentions that Jerry Schilling had a screenwriter working on a movie script... with the idea of offering the Brian role to Jeff Bridges (Beau Bridges would have been a terrific Carl, anyway...)

[Andrew G. Doe]

Until the final credits rolled, I managed to convince a fellow BB fan that it really was Brian playing the photographer in the 1976 remake of King Kong.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Yea I suspect that some liberties had to be taken in the name of making some sort of coherent linear story. 

Definitely seems to be a movie of two halves.

[Rocker]

Just posted on Facebook:


Brian Wilson film Love & Mercy gets groovy new poster—Exclusive

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/04/23/brian-wilson-love-mercy-poster

[sea of tunes]

Just when I thought I couldn't be more obsessed about this movie...  they go and drop this gorgeous theatrical poster.

Jiminy Christmas...  that's beautiful.