LOVE & MERCY – The Review

There’s a moment toward the middle of director Bill Pohlad’s concise and intriguing look into the mind of Brian Wilson where one of the other members of the Beach Boys describes his feelings about the new songs Brian had been working on without the assistance of the rest of the band: “Even the happy songs sound sad.” This simple line doesn’t just embody the type of music that Brian Wilson was composing at this time that would ultimately lead to the critically lauded but commercially unsuccessful album Pet Sounds, but it also perfectly captures the tone of LOVE & MERCY – a name that stems from a song Brian Wilson wrote. At its heart, the film stands as a love letter to the creative mind that would write some of the most beautiful songs of all time, and yet there’s a deep sadness that makes the film much heavier than the light and soothing pop songs that the film showcases.

In the summer of 1965, Brian Wilson (Paul Dano) entered a California recording studio while the rest of the Beach Boys toured and gallivanted around Japan. What came out of these sessions were the songs that would make up Pet Sounds and the much-delayed album Smile. Flash-forward into the 1980’s and Wilson (now John Cusack) is struggling to find inner peace through the help of his brothers and the controlling Dr. Landy (an over the top evil turn from Paul Giamatti). When Brian stumbles into a car dealership one afternoon and meets a salesperson by the name of Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks), it’s immediately clear that she might be the happiness that Brian has been missing in his life.

In many ways LOVE & MERCY is a very unconventional biopic. Gone are the endless amount of montages showing the passing of time; gone are the prosthetics and old age makeup to show the actors as they change over the years; gone are the familiar ups and downs that we see in most films showing the woes of the music industry. In its place are essentially two stories. It’s through these two time periods that Pohlad is able to showcase two absorbing stories about the mind of an artist. Both stories have their highlights thanks in large part to the two lead actors. Watching Wilson collaborate with the studio musicians (a group of hired musicians who worked with Simon & Garfunkel, The Mamas & The Papas, and The Byrds who were known as “The Wrecking Crew”) is consistently fascinating to watch. Watching Dano skip around the studio and interact with the instruments and sound equipment provides insight into how in-depth of a process it was to record these beloved songs. On the other hand, being witness to a loving relationship unfolding between Melinda and the older Brian is just as charming. Elizabeth Banks is just a delight as she becomes the attentive ear and caring shoulder for Brian to lean on.

John Cusack gives one of the best performances of his career. He taps into the heart and soul of the talented but tortured musician. It’s as much of a physical undertaking as it is an emotional. Cusack incorporates subtle body movements, especially his hands, to signify the constant turning of the gears going on in his head; even if the words don’t always come out to properly express what he’s thinking. Dano plays the younger Wilson with more of a voice, albeit a softer one with a hint of apprehension. His uncertainty mostly stems from the pressure his father and his bandmates place upon him. Their desire for a hit record is contrary to the musical exploration and new direction Wilson wants to take the band. Dano’s Wilson walks the somber line of martydom as we see him pour all of his passion into the record only to have it dismissed by everyone around him.

Where LOVE & MERCY stumbles the most is in its rhythm. The film frequently feels like the timing is off. Scenes go on for too long, several shots feel misplaced as they are obstructed by speakers or mic stands, and the editing between time periods occasionally feels smacked together. There was an aesthetic choice to film all of the scenes in the recording studio in a more handheld, grainy fashion. I typically wouldn’t mind this if there was a reason for it or if the choice was more clear or deliberate. Instead it just feels ever so slightly shaky and haphazard in an annoying sort of way.

An argument could be made that LOVE & MERCY wouldn’t come together so harmoniously if it weren’t for the three terrific leads. Each is perfectly cast and makes this non-traditional bio-pic feel more in tune. LOVE & MERCY is structured as two separate stories; each existing as a separate symphony. They both have their highs and lows, their happy and sad moments, and everything in between. However, I wish these moments were more carefully arranged and didn’t feel as dissonant.

Overall rating: 3 out of 5

LOVE & MERCY opens everywhere June 5, 2015.