A Beach Boy's breakdown!

Rating: 7/10 (19 October 2015)

Bill Pohold directs this sullen, candid biopic following the winding path of Brian Wilson, creator of the Beach Boy's unique sound. The 'surfing sound' took America by storm beginning in late 1962 with their #14 hit "Surfin Safari". The following year came "Surfin' U.S.A." and then "Surfer Girl". Then soon from the beach to cars with "Little Deuce Coup" and in 1964 "Fun, Fun, Fun" and "I get Around". A string of hits would follow in spite of Brian's father Murray(Bill Camp), whose death and constant berating lead to a creative breakdown and decent into heavy drug use and becoming a a bathrobe recluse.
The Beach Boys would continue on without their primary core of musical influence and leadership. Brian spent days upon days not leaving his bed or room. When he did manage to surface for air, he was under the 24/7 constant care a controversial therapist Eugene Landy(Paul Giamatti). For a decade, Brian Wilson was a slave and prisoner to a missed diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia.
With the aid of a mostly secretive girlfriend Melinda(Elizabeth Banks) and the remaining Wilson family, Brian broke away from Landy's vice-grip and properly diagnosed as having a bipolar schizo-affective disorder. Before and after his breakdown, Brian was basically two different people...thus this movie having two individuals play him. Paul Dano plays the 1960's Brian, while John Cusack portrays the 1980's musical icon.
Dano went from singing bits and pieces of Beach Boy material to actual lip-syncing. The real Brian Wilson is seen on screen singing the title song as the movie comes to an end.
Dano has my favorite line in the whole movie, "Can we get a horse in here?"
Most of the Beach Boy's hits are heard in small sample form. My only disappointment is not seeing more of the creative Brian at work. After all, not only in his own mind, he was one man trying to match or outdo the Beatles.