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

[alf wiedersehen]

he would leave up the validation of whats true and false to 'BBs scholars' and the whole theater laughed!

An entire room full of people laughed at us.

[Shady]

Not the first time

[Lowbacca]

 

[Robbie Mac]

he would leave up the validation of whats true and false to 'BBs scholars' and the whole theater laughed!

An entire room full of people laughed at us.

Well, you all are kind of nuts.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

He's a God, though it sounds like the movie was designed to make Mike Love projectile vomit uncontrollably.

Not in my book -- Brian's a man, blessed with extraordinary God-given talent.

why bring god into it at all?   Brian is a uniquely talented creator of fine music .  

Why not? Why is it taboo for someone to bring up their faith, but perfectly okay to discuss one's lack of faith? Not really directing this at you, but I've noticed a huge double standard pretty much everywhere I go online, and I *just* got into a heated argument on Facebook about this very same thing.

[JohnMill]

After all, the movie is not adressed to hardcore BW/BBs fans.

While I understand this premise, I argue that if it has any hopes of being a historically accurate document as to the life and career of Brian Wilson then it should be able to be scrutinized by those fans and still come out smelling like a rose.  If it has no intention on being a historically accurate document of Brian's life and career then in my opinion it's bunk and should be regarded as such.

[ontor pertawst]

Wait, are there ANY biopics that are historically accurate documents? Of musicians, especially. Can you think of one? I sure can't.

[JohnMill]

Wait, are there ANY biopics that are historically accurate documents? Of musicians, especially. Can you think of one? I sure can't.

Which is why as I've indicated by and large I don't like them.  This one actually seems as well done as one could be though in terms of the actors they chose and the story they are going to tell.  My best hopes for it though is it both raises Brian's profile as well as brings attention to the issue of mental illness on a wider scale. 

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Wait, are there ANY biopics that are historically accurate documents? Of musicians, especially. Can you think of one? I sure can't.

Which is why as I've indicated by and large I don't like them. 

Well, in this case, then we don't quite agree. I don't tend to like biopics either but for the opposite reason: that they present themselves as historically accurate documents or objective accounts without acknowledging that such a thing is impossible. This is why I'm Not There works so well as a biopic, because it demonstrates the very impossibility of an objective account.

[pixletwin]

The demands of storytelling within the context of a 2 hour movie are far more jealous than, say, a 6 hour documentary series (like The Beatles Anthology, for instance). So audience expectations need to be realistic.

If you have Carl and Audree get involved in the conservatorship lawsuit, the characters have to be invested into the story earlier in the movie which means added scenes, added dialog, which inflates everything.

That is why you have so many biopics which end up so bloated and come off more as a checklist of events, rather than a compelling narrative. You have to know where and what to trim in order to maintain that narrative. Sometimes that means consolidating characters into one person or trimming a person completely out when they don't really add anything to the central story.

[urbanite]

If you want to do big box office, which every producer seeks, you focus on the compelling stuff and shed the boring, and create things (that never happened.)  

[Mr. Cohen]

It's time for someone to finance my script, A Love Story. It starts with Mike Love coaching Van Dyke on his accordion part in "Kokomo". "Van, it makes a difference if you're sitting this way or that way. OK?" After the session, a smug Van Dyke asks Mike if he ever figured out the "crow cries" lyrics. "I don't know Van, I think you ate the crow!" Mike agrees to pay for Van Dyke's airfare, but gives him an old business card with a disconnected phone # on purpose. "Call me and I'll take care of it."

After, we're treated to a concert. As we got through the setlist with Mike, there are repeated extended flashbacks of times Mike gave Brian hooks to the songs he's about to perform live, but then never received credit. The concert ends with "Kokomo". It's #1. The movie ends with Mike successfully suing Brian for songwriting credits. "I guess this means we can be friends again."

[Peter Reum]

It is a movie folks.  The truth is reserved to those of us who lived it. This movie is to truth what  Al Jolson is to being a soul brother.

[Ray Lawlor]

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”.

[puni puni]

Thanks, Ray.

[SMiLE Brian]

Ray tells it as it is.

[HeyJude]

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”.

Great thanks for sharing this. This stuff needs to be recorded in a book, documentary film, etc., with everybody saying their piece.

[Emdeeh]

Thank you, Ray.

[Bud Shaver]

And BOOM goes the truth.... Thanks Ray!

[halblaineisgood]

“I really liked the movie because the real life was so much worse”.

I love Brian.

[zachrwolfe]

‍

[drbeachboy]

Thank you Ray for getting the truth out here. As a fan of Brian and the Boys, I am grateful that Melinda has taken very good care of Brian and helped in guiding and looking out for him over the past 20 plus years. She has always been OK in my book.

[GoodVibrations33]

Some of Monday's TIFF Q&A:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BytGj_EoM_c

YouTube's Flick Chick's review:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF5P80IjoWw

[drbeachboy]

“I really liked the movie because the real life was so much worse”.

I love Brian.

Yeah, you can't get much more honest than that quote.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Thank you for that, Ray. I generally don't like to speak ill of the dead, but in Landy's case, I hope he brought plenty of sunblock for where he's at now. What a horrible, horrible excuse for a human being. I'm happy that Brian managed to get away from him.