Cusack and Dano both excel in an unorthodox but compelling biopic

Rating: 7/10 (7 October 2015)

Its not often that we see a film about an person portrayed by two people in the same film where both performances are equally praiseworthy. In Atonement, Romala Garai was nothing on little Saorise Ronan's performance of the same character, nor was Gloria Stuart's bizarrely Oscar-nominated performance in Titanic anywhere near Kate Winslet's. And films like The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Green Mile have relegated their second actor to mere narrator status. So its with great delight that I can report Love & Mercy as being a true standout with two captivating portrayals by two actors who never met on set.
Paul Dano plays prime talent Brian Wilson, and not only does he look the part he feels right at home in the recording studio. He's odd - that's the best way to put it - but during his emotional scenes he gives that truly dependable Paul Dano performance that continues to aggrieve me that he's never been nominated for an Oscar. John Cusack portrays Brian Wilson as a broken but kind-hearted man twenty-years later. He's somewhere between Rain Man and Forrest Gump, and has behavioural quirks and and extremely submissive personality. He blurts out too much information and places his trust - child-like - in the hands of whoever will show him kindness. Unfortunately, that trust resides for the most part in Dr. Eugene Landy, a dominating, aggressive, manipulative psychologist who has Brian completely under his thumb. Giamatti is one of those characters you just love to hate - he's always got a big smile on his face but you know he's got that brutal Giamatti Yell primed and ready to go. Apparently the real Brian Wilson was so convinced by Giamatti's portrayal of Landy that he had an episode watching the film. Cusack performs the best when Giamatti is around, as I completely believed that he was under the man's thumb. See a heartbreaking scene where Wilson pleads with Melinda not to leave him, but to leave the house to spare him Landy's wrath.
Elizabeth Banks gives a lovely and subtle performance in what could have been a sleepwalk part. Her chemistry with Cusack is wonderful, and she imbues Melinda with kindness and heart that was vital for me not to question why a woman who looks like Elizabeth Banks is with a guy who looks like John Cusack. She's been hurt before, but we also see her desire to save Wilson from Landy, even just a few minutes into their date.
Bill Pohlad and his sound team deserve a huge amount of kudos. More than a few times I didn't even notice the sound building towards something but I would always spot it just before it happened. This happens both when Wilson composes Good Vibrations and when he suffers a breakdown at a dinner party - the clash and clink of cutlery builds up into a roar inside his head. Pohlad's direction is masterful. He knows how to create incredible scenes with genuine feel or symbolic meaning. Shots inside the studio look like home footage, especially with a 360 degree long take in the middle. There's also a beautiful underwater shot where Dano's shirt looks like a plastic bag covering his head, smothering him.
My favourite scene however is one where Banks comes to meet Cusack in a recording studio. They pledge to escape together, only for the hopeful score to die at Giamatti's casual "hey guys". The tension spikes. Giamatti stands behind glass in the "control room" but distanced from Brian physically (and emotionally) while Banks stands by Cusack's side. Its a rare scene that makes me go "Wow."
Love and Mercy completely flops on itself during the third act. Right when its posed for all the exciting confrontation between Cusack/Banks and Giamatti and Dano and his cousin/father/first wife, we get a three minute scene of people talking to Cusack as he lies in bed. Then its over and all the excitement has passed. Honestly, its like Pohlad fell ill and an intern had to wrap up the film with what scenes they'd already shot.
However, I won't begrudge the film too badly for that - Cusack gives the finest performance I've ever seen from him, Dano stretches his overdue narrative even further, and now I want to go listen to the Beach Boys on repeat.