Claim: Love & Mercy's (film) cast includes John Cusack.

Love & Mercy -LRB- stylized as love & mercy -RRB- is a 2014 American biographical drama film directed and co-produced by Bill Pohlad , co-produced by Claire Rudnick-Polstein and John Wells and written by Michael Alan Lerner and Oren Moverman . The film , deriving its title from the 1988 song by Wilson , focuses on musician-songwriter Brian Wilson , co-founder of the Beach Boys , during the 1960s and 1980s , presenting the film in a nonlinear narrative . Paul Dano and John Cusack star as the young and middle-aged Wilson , respectively , with Elizabeth Banks as Wilson 's second wife Melinda Ledbetter , and Paul Giamatti as Wilson 's psychotherapist Dr. Eugene Landy .   The film premiered in the Special Presentations section of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7 , 2014 and was released by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions on June 5 , 2015 . It grossed $ 28.6 million over a $ 10 million budget , a moderate commercial success , and received critical acclaim from reviewers , lauded for its unorthodox style , original score by Atticus Ross , Dano 's performance as Wilson in the 1960s , and scenes that closely recreated Wilson 's advanced studio recording methods during the making of Pet Sounds -LRB- 1966 -RRB- . Wilson -- who had little involvement during development -- praised the film for being `` very factual . '' It was nominated for two Golden Globes : Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture -LRB- Paul Dano -RRB- and Best Original Song -LRB- `` One Kind of Love '' -RRB- .