Love & Mercy

2015 • 121 minutes

About this movie

John Cusack and Paul Dano both play erratic musician and leader of the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson. Dano covers the early years when he quit touring and focussed on masterminding the rock 'n' roll masterpiece Pet Sounds but finding his grip on reality slipping. Twenty years later, Cusack's Wilson is a broken shell under the chemical thrall of manipulative therapist Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti) who fears the positive influence of his new girlfriend (Elizabeth Banks). Poignant and revealing, this is worth a watch particularly for the stunning recreation of the recording of Wilson's sublime compositions, including Good Vibrations.