This title was an iTunes rental that I watched while flying from San Antonio to Chicago on January 11th. This film was released back in June of this year took in over $2 million opening weekend while showing on only 480 screens and to date has grossed over $13 million. This film has gotten a lot of positive reviews and received a 90% rating from Rotten Tomatoes. The film centers on Brian Wilson, the creative force behind The Beach Boys during the recording of the 1966 Pet Sounds album as well as Wilson's life in the mid-80s.
Paul Dano plays the young Wilson and John Cusack plays 80s Wilson. Wilson suffered a crippling anxiety attack after a tour and asks the rest of the band to not tour so he can concentrate on making music. In addition to anxiety, Wilson is also suffering from other mental illnesses and he slowly starts the descent into insanity. Cusack's portion of the film deals with Wilson during his therapy with Dr. Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti) circa 1985. Landy was Wilson's legal guardian during the 70s when mental illness and drug use turned Wilson into a 300 pound recluse.
Wilson on the left, Landy on the right. Not pictured is Wilson's burritos.
Wilson eventually comes out from under the thrall of Landy with the help of his girlfriend Melinda (Elizabeth Banks). Once again Hollywood proves that all that is needed to cure mental illness is love.
This film was highly regarded for good reason, it's really good. Dano, who seems to excel at playing strange characters, looks a lot like Wilson and does an excellent job of portraying Wilson under the pressures of writing songs for the band and the time where his grip on reality began to loosen. Cusack does a nice job but he plays Wilson kind of like Russell Crowe played John Nash in A Beautiful Mind (because in Hollywood, mental illness is portrayed the same way for males). Giamatti is great as the sleazy Landy, who keeps Wilson on a tight leash. There are some harsh scenes like when Landy blows up and Wilson for eating Melinda's hamburger that show the hold he had over Wilson.
Director Bill Pohlad neatly blends the different times in Wilson's life to tell the story. He is able to put to screen Wilson's artistic vision of what would become the Pet Sounds album (apparently a commercial failure but critical success at the time). Dano and Giamatti give great performances but apparently not enough to woo the Academy. This is a really good film that probably caters to an over 35 crowd or young Brian Wilson/Beach Boy fans. The accuracy may not be spot on, but it's really close.
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