Love & Mercy

Director Bill Pohlad’s Love & Mercy is the story of Brian Wilson (Paul Dano in the ‘60s and John Cusack in the ‘80s), the creative force behind the Beach Boys singing group that hit stardom in the 1960s.

 

Falling under the dominant spell of Dr. Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti), Wilson is overmedicated and taken down a dark psychological tunnel until he meets Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks) later in life.

The script by Oren Moverman and Michael A. Lerner moves along very well and the acting by all is superb, though, in my opinion, Dano should have been given top billing.

Even if you are not familiar with the Beach Boys, the story of a creative soul being crushed by family and human leeches will tug at your heart strings.

I give Love & Mercy a 4 out of 5.