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

[WickedWaters]

Finally saw L&M. Had to drive 160 miles to see it!, then had to leave the theater about 2/3 way through the movie because of a family situation. The last thing I saw was Brian/Dano solo performance of Surf's Up at the piano. Exquisite! As far as I could tell, Dano did an incredible job mimicking Brian's body movements and facial expressions while playing SU for the solo, compared to the actual footage of the real Brian playing it.. I was just awestruck by  the attention to detail when it came to clothes people were wearing in known photos, furnishings of the studio and control room, etc. I really enjoyed as much of the movie as I was able to see and hope to catch it again in a theater before it comes out on DVD. The scene that got me most choked up was the one where Brian and Melinda were sitting at the piano and he started playing that riff (sounded like Love and Mercy to me!) and then told her that he made it up on the spot for her, and that it was now gone. Wow. I don't know if the real Landy was as rotten as that portrayed by Giamatti, but Paul did a great job making me hate him.

[sea of tunes]

Finally saw L&M. Had to drive 160 miles to see it!, then had to leave the theater about 2/3 way through the movie because of a family situation. The last thing I saw was Brian/Dano solo performance of Surf's Up at the piano. Exquisite! As far as I could tell, Dano did an incredible job mimicking Brian's body movements and facial expressions while playing SU for the solo, compared to the actual footage of the real Brian playing it.. I was just awestruck by  the attention to detail when it came to clothes people were wearing in known photos, furnishings of the studio and control room, etc. I really enjoyed as much of the movie as I was able to see and hope to catch it again in a theater before it comes out on DVD. The scene that got me most choked up was the one where Brian and Melinda were sitting at the piano and he started playing that riff (sounded like Love and Mercy to me!) and then told her that he made it up on the spot for her, and that it was now gone. Wow. I don't know if the real Landy was as rotten as that portrayed by Giamatti, but Paul did a great job making me hate him.

That's a gigantic bummer that you had to miss the back 1/3 of the film.  My sympathies.  Hopefully your family emergency worked out too.

[RangeRoverA1]

Haven't checked this thread in awhile, but going to catch on. Good job on keeping it active & encouraging & bringing good will to the film. even sort of making buzz around it. All you, fellow Smilers, & JCM esp. - thanks!

[WickedWaters]

   That's a gigantic bummer that you had to miss the back 1/3 of the film.  My sympathies.  Hopefully your family emergency worked out too.


 The emergency turned out to be nothing significant. Thank you for the concern.

[SMiLE-addict]

Love and Mercy is at #55 on the year-to-date chart, with a box office pull of almost $8 million:
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2015&p=.htm

If you look at the theater count compared to the ones just above and below it, the per-theater take is much, much better.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Love and Mercy is at #55 on the year-to-date chart, with a box office pull of almost $8 million:
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2015&p=.htm

If you look at the theater count compared to the ones just above and below it, the per-theater take is much, much better.

While the dollar amount may not seem impressive, it is doing much better than many movies that were in many more theaters.

[Misterlou]

Love and Mercy is at #55 on the year-to-date chart, with a box office pull of almost $8 million:
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2015&p=.htm

If you look at the theater count compared to the ones just above and below it, the per-theater take is much, much better.

While the dollar amount may not seem impressive, it is doing much better than many movies that were in many more theaters.

As of the past couple days, it's playing in a few less theaters then it had been where I live (northern California), yet for the 7:10 showing tonight, the theater was almost full, so it appears to have some legs... or is it because there are fewer places to see it? I don't know for sure.

So, who can name the song snippet that plays near the end, right after I Love to Say Dada (when Brian is sitting on the edge of the pool, Marilyn pleading for him to come see their baby smile?)

[sea of tunes]

Pretty sure it's this: (part of the Atticus Ross score)

Baby No Morph
composed by Atticus Ross
contains portions of:

I Love to Say Da Da
Written by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks
Performed by The Beach Boys

Here Today
Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher
Performed by The Beach Boys

Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)
Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher
Performed by The Beach Boys

[CoolWater]

Saw the movie for the, uh, 4th time last night in San Diego. This time in Hillcrest, which is a hip urban neighborhood, for the 9:45pm show. There were maybe 20 of us for the show. Not surprising, all but one of the shows here in town I've been to have been less than half full...

Since it's really an amazing movie, I Was thinking last night that one contributor could be 'bad title syndrome'. Now don't shoot me. I love the movie. I love the song. I like the title. It's a good title for the Brian and Melinda story. But if you're not already a fan it might not be the best title to sell the movie.

As I was watching it again last night it occurred to me from the opening minutes to the penultimate 2001 homage climax that they could have called the film 'In My Room' without changing a thing in the movie, including having Brian sing 'Love and Mercy' over the closing credits.

Then you'd have a movie with a title that tens of millions of people identify with the Beach Boys, sadness, beauty. They know the leader has a tortured past. Maybe more people would've made the connection and seen the movie. As a person who works on the edges of the industry, IMO it could have been worth a few (3-4) million more on the opening weekend without adding any more theaters. Walk up sales are a big part of the business.

I think everything about the movie is great, I just wish more people had awareness of it and an opportunity to see it. Obviously more screens, more and better ads would of helped too.

[ontor pertawst]

I wouldn't worry too much. It's going to have a long life, pick up some awards, and be an entry point for future generations of fans. This was never going to make summer blockbuster money, it's just not that kind of movie... and thank gawd for that!

[urbanite]

I think the title of the movie was a mistake and part of the reason why it's a box office failure.

[ForHerCryingSoul]

I think it needs a subtitle like: the Brian Wilson Story or something...

[ontor pertawst]

Box office failure? It was a small arthouse release and made it's budget back and then some, lets not pretend this was marketed or planned to make Transformers money. This was a prestige picture and a passion project for those involved, the distributor will be very pleased with the return on the investment, critical plaudits, etc. This is awards bait!

Looking forward to what Pohlad tries next.

[sea of tunes]

Yea, I mean I think it's doing fine for tier of movie it is.  I had been imagining it as like a $10-$20 million movie and it's close to the $10 mil mark right now. 

Like Ontor said, this was a work of passion for everyone involved.  I'm not sure anyone was under the illusion this was going to be WALK THE LINE or RAY. 

The original script, as I understand it, was titled HEROES & VILLAINS.  Thank God wiser heads chose the title they did.  I think it fits the story nicely.  It sums up the story nicely and really this movie is about love and mercy, intellectually speaking. 

The movie isn't without flaws but the story is so compelling, even to a novice audience.  And for the rest of us, it's like pornography.  Success nowadays seems to go way beyond box office.  Especially for smaller, more independent films.  There's DVD/Blu-Ray but also streaming (iTunes or Netflix). 

It's just so nice that now this story has been memorialized.  I think about it in terms of a young person that has yet to discover this music or someone not yet born.  This might be their introduction.  What a fabulous introduction that will be!

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Several theaters that were showing it in Houston no longer are. Now have to drive 30 miles to the closest theater

[Rick5150]

Loved the film. I felt like I was there during the Pet Sounds sessions. One thing that struck me as peculiar was the use of red and white striped shirts over the more traditional blue and white shirts that are more familiar. Dano ruled, and Cusack had the speech pattern down pretty well. Hated Landy, so Giomatti was excellent.

[Paul J B]

The June release was the thing that seemed like sort of a blunder to me. End of May early June, and the Christmas season are the times of year you would think are not good for a movie like Love and Mercy to hit the theaters. Fall or Spring when there are not so many other high profile releases to compete with would have made a lot more sense.

It was disappointing to be in the theater with only a handful of people both times I went. It's an excellent movie that many critics are touting as perhaps the best biopic ever. I really hope it does receive award nominations because it certainly deserves them. The nominations will help find more of an audience. I pretty much disdain the Oscars and all things Hollywood. But since Hollywood and the Oscars exist, Golden Globes too, then all we can do is hope THEY get it right and give this little gem the recognition it has earned. This is exactly the kind of film awards are meant for.

[Ram4]

I finally saw the movie.  I avoided any trailers or info about it to see it fresh.  I was curious how having two people play Brian would work, but man it was great - both were excellent!  I liked how the movie was edited as well and there was an amazing attention to detail.  Of course, like most of us, I loved the Wrecking Crew studio sessions a lot.  Sure there were some obvious historical inaccuracies, but overall, it was not a problem for me.  They really captured Brian's story well.  It would have been great to include the 70's era, but they alluded to it to where it didn't feel like there was a big hole missing.  I will be seeing it again this week.   

[Fire Wind]

Hey, it's listed as being on at the Clapham Picturehouse.  Just one showing so far.  Monday (6th, I guess) at 6:30.  That's the first showing I see for London.

[sea of tunes]

I guess with the June release date in the U.S. they were just aiming at trying to go against the grain.  Maybe thinking with the theme of the Beach Boys/Brian June made sense.  I kept thinking last fall that the film would be released before the end of the year, after it debuted at TIFF.  Perhaps all of the biopics in the last few years scared them away from putting this out in the same calendar year.

Either way, I think the ceiling for the film was probably right where it wound up.  The overall gross will be slightly past $10 million in the U.S.  That's really not bad for an arthouse film.  It's the 4th highest grossing film Roadside Attractions has ever had and it might get to 3rd by the final tally.

Glad the movie is now opening abroad.  Hoping to hear from the SS members in Europe and down under as the movie makes its way around the world.

I have a question that hopefully some astute member here can help with.  I could have sworn the live performance of "Love & Mercy" that plays over the first part of the closing credits of the film was from "Live At the Roxy".  But after listening to that version, I find that I'm incorrect.  Any idea where that performance was sourced?

Thanks in advance.

[Wirestone]

I guess with the June release date in the U.S. they were just aiming at trying to go against the grain.  Maybe thinking with the theme of the Beach Boys/Brian June made sense.  I kept thinking last fall that the film would be released before the end of the year, after it debuted at TIFF.  Perhaps all of the biopics in the last few years scared them away from putting this out in the same calendar year.

Either way, I think the ceiling for the film was probably right where it wound up.  The overall gross will be slightly past $10 million in the U.S.  That's really not bad for an arthouse film.  It's the 4th highest grossing film Roadside Attractions has ever had and it might get to 3rd by the final tally.

Glad the movie is now opening abroad.  Hoping to hear from the SS members in Europe and down under as the movie makes its way around the world.

I have a question that hopefully some astute member here can help with.  I could have sworn the live performance of "Love & Mercy" that plays over the first part of the closing credits of the film was from "Live At the Roxy".  But after listening to that version, I find that I'm incorrect.  Any idea where that performance was sourced?

Thanks in advance.

The "Brian Wilson Live" DVD. It has some performances that were on the "Roxy" CD, but several unique to the documentary.

http://www.amazon.com/Brian-Wilson-On-Tour/dp/B00008NJFR/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350259758&sr=8-1&keywords=brian+wilson+on+tour

[18thofMay]

OUrs was at the State Theatre in Sydney.

[sea of tunes]

The "Brian Wilson Live" DVD. It has some performances that were on the "Roxy" CD, but several unique to the documentary.

http://www.amazon.com/Brian-Wilson-On-Tour/dp/B00008NJFR/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350259758&sr=8-1&keywords=brian+wilson+on+tour

Graci, Wirestone.

[BrianAlDaveFan]

Just saw it today! I highly suggest this film to anyone who is a fan of Brian. I won't spoil anything, but it was fantastic.

(After seeing this, and then thinking of how Mike Love was - recently - almost defending Landy's actions, it really didn't make me love Mike Love, to say the least.)

[STE]

Bill Pohlad interview with "Flickering Myth":

https://youtu.be/_0aWTKimZj4