Overview
In the late 1960s, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson stops touring, produces "Pet Sounds" and begins to lose his grip on reality. By the 1980s, under the sway of a controlling therapist, he finds a savior in Melinda Ledbetter.
I wanted to enjoy this movie so much more than I actually did. Wilson’s story is incredible, but I don’t know that it translates that well into a movie. Don’t get me wrong, part of the movie are amazing. Unfortunately, almost all of those scenes are with Dano, especially when he is in the studio. The timeline in the later years suffers from a lack of interesting material, which again goes back to the question about translating his story into a movie. Cusack and Banks are great, but they have so very little to work with. I wonder if the decision to have alternating timelines was the result of the director acknowledging that the material in the later timeline is weak.
IHATEBadMovies.com reviews Love & Mercy
Movie title: Love & Mercy
Movie description: In the late 1960s, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson stops touring, produces "Pet Sounds" and begins to lose his grip on reality. By the 1980s, under the sway of a controlling therapist, he finds a savior in Melinda Ledbetter.
Date published: 2025-08-17
Director(s): Bill Pohlad
Actor(s): Paul Dano, John Cusack, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti, Jake Abel, Kenny Wormald, Brett Davern, Graham Rogers, Erin Darke, Bill Camp, Joanna Going, Nick Gehlfuss, Mark Linett, Johnny Sneed, Gary Griffin, Teresa Cowles, Vince Meghrouni, Jeff Meacham, Max Schneider, Diana Maria Riva, Erik Eidem, Dylan Kenin, Carolyn Stotesbery, Fred Cross, Tyson Ritter, Jeff Galfer, Morgan Phillips, Wayne Bastrup, Oliver Pohlad, Christopher Reccardi, Robert Matsuda, Willie Aron, Larry Greenfield, Rob Laufer, Michele Forest, Cameron Stone, David Crozier, John Krovoza, John Petring, Alan Busteed, Carl Byron, Todd Jaeger, Jim Laspesa, Hani Abaza, Tricia Davern, Misha Hamilton, Erica Jenkins, Ragon Miller, Haylee Roderick, Brian Wilson
Genre: Drama, Music, History
My Review
I wanted to enjoy this movie so much more than I actually did. Wilson’s story is incredible, but I don’t know that it translates that well into a movie. Don’t get me wrong, part of the movie are amazing. Unfortunately, almost all of those scenes are with Dano, especially when he is in the studio. The timeline in the later years suffers from a lack of interesting material, which again goes back to the question about translating his story into a movie. Cusack and Banks are great, but they have so very little to work with. I wonder if the decision to have alternating timelines was the result of the director acknowledging that the material in the later timeline is weak.
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My Review - 6/10
6/10