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

[18thofMay]

The autotune in the trailer is obscene...

[Rocker]

Thanks for the link! Am so looking forward to see the movie.


BTW here's some footage of Brian in the audience in Berlin at the premiere:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEZC1tqS92w

[Larry Franz]

I understand wanting to release this around Summertime, but it's a very tough competetive time of year for screen space. My concern is that this movie will get a very limited release, or maybe even a straight-to-digital release. I was hoping it would be something that a lot of people would see, but I'm doubtful of that. Anyone have some dish on the release/marketing strategy for this?

Nothing on the strategy, but the other movies being released that weekend in the US (according to this site: http://www.firstshowing.net/schedule2015/#jun ) are "Entourage" (from the HBO series, which doesn't sound like a blockbuster), "Insidious - Chapter 3" (horror) and "Spy" (a Melissa McCarthy comedy). It apparently will be a limited release, but it shouldn't be overwhelmed by that competition. It looks like a serious, quality movie that people will want to see. If it does well at all, it should get a wider release. I don't think there's any way it will quickly go to digital.

[ForHerCryingSoul]

That trailer really made me start to cry.  I can't wait to see it.  The part where BW is sitting by the piano, over-medicated really touched me.

[Cam Mott]

This looks terrific.

[Micha]

That was me who asked the question... and yes, the trailer's going to be released tomorrow 3:00 p.m. EST on Brian's facebook page!

Nice!  And about 5 minutes later on YouTube I'm sure.   

It seems it isn't on YouTube yet - or I'm too dumb to find it there. I don't want to go to a facebook page.

[sea of tunes]

That was me who asked the question... and yes, the trailer's going to be released tomorrow 3:00 p.m. EST on Brian's facebook page!

Nice!  And about 5 minutes later on YouTube I'm sure.   

It seems it isn't on YouTube yet - or I'm too dumb to find it there. I don't want to go to a facebook page.

Just posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5rkaYp3Qbw

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

The trailer is running in theaters in my area and LA too as I understand it, so I have to assume it's not going straight to dvd, as some seem to be worrying.

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

The autotune in the trailer is obscene...

Love it.  Thanks for saving us from being accused of being the Brianistas running the Board entirely.  How hideous that people who love Brian's work would be showing up here!

[sea of tunes]

Yea, not sure where that worry is coming from.  Lionsgate picked it up after TIFF for US distribution.  It won't play on 6,000 screens opening weekend or whatever, but it will get a nice limited release.

[CoolWater]

Wow! That was an emotion packed 2 1/2 minutes. I feel like my heart was ripped out of my chest. Very exciting. Can't wait.

[Jim V.]

I really don't even know why, but some ways through, I realized I had tears in my eyes. And I'm not one for over doing it like that. It just really hit me.

[Lowbacca]

The autotune in the trailer is obscene...

[Pretty Funky]

Wow...Really pushing the Landy aspect in that trailer.

[Summertime Blooz]

I feel like a weepy little sentimental sap right now. I think that's the first time I ever got misty watching a TRAILER for gosh sakes! I know Dano seems to grabbing more attention for his performance, and he's a really interesting actor, but Cusack seemed pretty spot-on as the older BW too. I can't wait to see this.

[Bud Shaver]

It got me choked up, too.

[sea of tunes]

Wow...Really pushing the Landy aspect in that trailer.

Pretty Funky, am I correct in remembering that you got to see the film at TIFF?

I concede also that the trailer definitely moved me too, very stirring.

[Les P]

Great trailer.  I saw L&M at SXSW but STILL looking forward to June 5 so I can see it again!  Very powerful film, even more so for any fan who already knows the story.

[Pretty Funky]

Wow...Really pushing the Landy aspect in that trailer.

Pretty Funky, am I correct in remembering that you got to see the film at TIFF?

I concede also that the trailer definitely moved me too, very stirring.

No. Not me.

[lostbeachboy]

The casting for this movie blows chunks.

[monicker]

For those who have seen the movie already, would you say that the trailer is typical deceptive/misleading movie marketing (i.e. selling the film as something it's not so as to appeal to a wider audience) or does the full trailer capture the overall mood of the movie faithfully?

I think this is significantly better and more promising than the teaser, but it still possesses a good amount of Hollywood genre-film/love story/tortured artist tropes. I suspect the actual movie will come off very different from the feel of this trailer. At least i really hope so! I mean, i keep hearing comparisons to Tree of Life and that element is obviously totally absent here...

Also, i want to believe that the decision to focus half the movie on '66-'67 has more to do with the insurmountable challenge of telling a wider period of Brian's varied life, as well as the sad reality that the #2 Greatest Album of All Time (OMG Paul McCartney loves it) + the mythology of Smile is probably the only avenue that could realistically sell this movie to the general public, rather than it being a continuation of the ever growing scenester mentality that The Beach Boys = The Genius Brian Wilson = Pet Sounds/Smile, man, and that's it (musically speaking). I'm having a bit of a hard time believing that Pohlad doesn't fall into that camp at least a little bit, but i really want to believe in him and his vision and be wrong about this.

[Les P]

For those who have seen the movie already, would you say that the trailer is typical deceptive/misleading movie marketing (i.e. selling the film as something it's not so as to appeal to a wider audience) or does the full trailer capture the overall mood of the movie faithfully?

I think this is significantly better and more promising than the teaser, but it still possesses a good amount of Hollywood genre-film/love story/tortured artist tropes. I suspect the actual movie will come off very different from the feel of this trailer. At least i really hope so! I mean, i keep hearing comparisons to Tree of Life and that element is obviously totally absent here...

Also, i want to believe that the decision to focus half the movie on '66-'67 has more to do with the insurmountable challenge of telling a wider period of Brian's varied life, as well as the sad reality that the #2 Greatest Album of All Time (OMG Paul McCartney loves it) + the mythology of Smile is probably the only avenue that could realistically sell this movie to the general public, rather than it being a continuation of the ever growing scenester mentality that The Beach Boys = The Genius Brian Wilson = Pet Sounds/Smile, man, and that's it (musically speaking). I'm having a bit of a hard time believing that Pohlad doesn't fall into that camp at least a little bit, but i really want to believe in him and his vision and be wrong about this.

The trailer reflects the movie fairly well IMO.  The story told here IS the story of a troubled genius - his genius primarily represented by his 1966-67 creative peak - who breaks apart under internal and external pressure, and of the love (story) that saved him years later.  It may seem too Hollywood for you, but it seems pretty on target to me, if you have to boil Brian's complicated life and psyche down to a 2 hour general release movie.  It isn't the detailed story of his creative development, peaks, valleys, etc, so if you are looking for scenes about how he made All Summer Long or the Honeys singles or Wild Honey or Love You, you will be disappointed (truthfully, I can't remember exactly how detailed the pre-1966 years are treated, but they are generally pretty brief).  I understand why Brian thought it focused too much on the Landy era, since that is probably half the movie.  But to tell his whole story chronologically in two hours would be almost impossible to do well, so they chose two periods to tell the story.  Hollywood or not, the love story is very much a part of the film.  And I think it's very much a part of his life too.  Very arguably a major reason he is still walking on earth.

I guess I can see where The Tree of Life-type symbolism analogy comes from, but I would say that is a minor aspect.  One thing that may not come across fully in the trailer is how creatively the soundtrack is used to represent Brian's internal state.

[sea of tunes]

The trailer reflects the movie fairly well IMO.  The story told here IS the story of a troubled genius - his genius primarily represented by his 1966-67 creative peak - who breaks apart under internal and external pressure, and of the love (story) that saved him years later.  It may seem too Hollywood for you, but it seems pretty on target to me, if you have to boil Brian's complicated life and psyche down to a 2 hour general release movie.  It isn't the detailed story of his creative development, peaks, valleys, etc, so if you are looking for scenes about how he made All Summer Long or the Honeys singles or Wild Honey or Love You, you will be disappointed (truthfully, I can't remember exactly how detailed the pre-1966 years are treated, but they are generally pretty brief).  I understand why Brian thought it focused too much on the Landy era, since that is probably half the movie.  But to tell his whole story chronologically in two hours would be almost impossible to do well, so they chose two periods to tell the story.  Hollywood or not, the love story is very much a part of the film.  And I think it's very much a part of his life too.  Very arguably a major reason he is still walking on earth.

If you had to put percentages on it...how much of the film is Dano (1960s) and how much is Cusack (1980s)?

[Les P]

The trailer reflects the movie fairly well IMO.  The story told here IS the story of a troubled genius - his genius primarily represented by his 1966-67 creative peak - who breaks apart under internal and external pressure, and of the love (story) that saved him years later.  It may seem too Hollywood for you, but it seems pretty on target to me, if you have to boil Brian's complicated life and psyche down to a 2 hour general release movie.  It isn't the detailed story of his creative development, peaks, valleys, etc, so if you are looking for scenes about how he made All Summer Long or the Honeys singles or Wild Honey or Love You, you will be disappointed (truthfully, I can't remember exactly how detailed the pre-1966 years are treated, but they are generally pretty brief).  I understand why Brian thought it focused too much on the Landy era, since that is probably half the movie.  But to tell his whole story chronologically in two hours would be almost impossible to do well, so they chose two periods to tell the story.  Hollywood or not, the love story is very much a part of the film.  And I think it's very much a part of his life too.  Very arguably a major reason he is still walking on earth.

If you had to put percentages on it...how much of the film is Dano (1960s) and how much is Cusack (1980s)?

Hard to say since there's constant cutting back and forth, but it felt roughly 50/50.  Could possibly be more Dano since there were more characters (Beach Boys, Murry, etc) to establish in the early era than in the Landy era.  

[thatjacob]

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.

I'd say it's 60% dano / 40% cusack. My girlfriend said 50/50.