Heroes & Villains

Rating: 10/10 (14 June 2015)

One of the top films of 2015. Love & Mercy is a tour-de-force of acting and visual craft. As erratic, unexpected and joyous as the noisy mind of Brian Wilson. Rarely, has a biopic been made that accurately depicts the wresting demons of an artist quite like this one. Many try, and fail. This one has a bevy of material to work with, and doesn't waste a drop. Paul Dano, once again, gives a performance that will leave you speechless. It astounds me how vastly overlooked he is an an actor. His work in Little Miss Sunshine and There Will Be Blood should've garnered him two Oscar nominations by now. John Cusack gives another Oscar worthy performance as the older Brian Wilson. This is essential two stories in one. The rocky rise of Brian Wilson, and the love story of his later years. Each connect due to the two people in his life that keep him from living; his abusive father and his abusive, leaching, Hollywood psychotherapist, played incredibly by Paul Giamatti. Elizabeth Banks also gives a pretty impressive turn as Melinda. After leaving the theater, I've fallen in love with The Beach Boys all over again. This is the movie fans have been waiting for. You don't want to miss this one, folks.