Film No. 41 (2015) June 20th. 10.45 AM LUNA Leederville.
"He (Bill Pohlad) had a different vision for this movie; he wasn't trying to cram Brian's story into two hours. He took what Brian and I felt were the most important areas of Brian's life and expanded on them. I think it really works. He set out not to make a typical biopic. (The real Leadbetter commenting on Love and Mercy immediately after its premiere).
Love and Mercy
Love and Mercy is both a love story and partial biography, told brilliantly as we learn of Wilson's (Paul Dano) tortured genius through the 60s interwoven with Wilson (John Cusack) as a sedated shell of a man in the 80's. Dano's Wilson paints for us the early days of how a unique sound from a legendary band came into being. Enter Melinda Leadbetter (Elizabeth Banks), an ex-model and new car sales person 20 years on. This story is so well told that for me Leadbetter is a hero to rival Erin Brockovich.
Perhaps the music tragics will be disappointed that the soundtrack isn't laden with hit after hit but they are sure to love the insight into how many legendary songs came into being. The subtle means by which we are lead down the path of trusting Dr Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti) made sense. Wilson was ill so he had to rely on some form of professional care. But when Wilson's love for Leadbetter proves to be a more effective therapy, Landy despises her impact and we see a darker side of him as he tries to reduce her influence. Leadbetter backs her own instincts thus giving Wilson back to the rest of the music loving world.
It's easy to say that Love and Mercy is a winner because it is well written, brilliantly directed and cast so well. The film has all of these attributes in spades but it's the simple scenes which give an insight into one man's ability to create so uniquely, even bizarrely all the while suffering in his own lonely world. Dano, Cusack, Banks and Giamatti bring it all to life wonderfully. The real Wilson's rendition of Love and Mercy at a recent live concert, shown while the titles roll, is a show stopper. 11GUMS.
Perhaps the music tragics will be disappointed that the soundtrack isn't laden with hit after hit but they are sure to love the insight into how many legendary songs came into being. The subtle means by which we are lead down the path of trusting Dr Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti) made sense. Wilson was ill so he had to rely on some form of professional care. But when Wilson's love for Leadbetter proves to be a more effective therapy, Landy despises her impact and we see a darker side of him as he tries to reduce her influence. Leadbetter backs her own instincts thus giving Wilson back to the rest of the music loving world.
It's easy to say that Love and Mercy is a winner because it is well written, brilliantly directed and cast so well. The film has all of these attributes in spades but it's the simple scenes which give an insight into one man's ability to create so uniquely, even bizarrely all the while suffering in his own lonely world. Dano, Cusack, Banks and Giamatti bring it all to life wonderfully. The real Wilson's rendition of Love and Mercy at a recent live concert, shown while the titles roll, is a show stopper. 11GUMS.
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