Love & Mercy, the Brian Wilson biopic you may have missed
In the wake of the musician’s death, the film is getting another look
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Photo by Britannica
Key Insights
- “Love & Mercy” offers a unique, emotionally resonant portrait of Brian Wilson, portraying both his 1960s creative peak with Pet Sounds and his 1980s struggle under therapist Eugene Landy, through dual performances by Paul Dano and John Cusack.
- The film breaks from conventional music biopics, using experimental sound design by Atticus Ross and a non-linear narrative to explore Wilson’s genius, inner torment, and the therapeutic power of love and music.
- More than a story about music, it’s a tale of survival and redemption, showing how Wilson overcame exploitation and mental illness to find peace and continue creating beauty—an essential watch for fans seeking to understand the man behind the Beach Boys’ magic.
Brian Wilson has passed. If you grew up with a transistor radio tuned to the Beach Boys, the path to understanding him beyond his music is by watching Love & Mercy, the extraordinary 2015 film that goes beyond the hits and into the heart and mind of a musical genius.
The film opened in select theaters last week and is streaming now on YouTubeTV, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu.
Not Your Average Music Biopic
Love & Mercy doesn’t follow the usual paint-by-numbers formula. Instead, it offers a raw, intimate portrait of Wilson at two pivotal points in his life.
In the 1960s, we see him at his creative peak, masterminding Pet Sounds—the groundbreaking album that didn’t just change pop music, it inspired The Beatles.
Paul McCartney called Pet Sounds “the record of all time,” saying: “Without it, Sgt. Pepper never would have happened.”
High praise from a fellow legend, and proof that Wilson was playing on a whole different wavelength.
Two Brians, One Story
Director Bill Pohlad splits the role of Wilson between two gifted actors:
- Paul Dano as the young, obsessive studio innovator.
- John Cusack as the older, emotionally fragile Wilson of the 1980s, under the grip of abusive therapist Eugene Landy, played with menace by Paul Giamatti.
This dual casting isn’t a gimmick—it’s a revelation, showing both the cost of brilliance and the long road back from exploitation and mental illness.
Dano’s scenes are mesmerizing, especially when Wilson is in the studio with the famed Wrecking Crew, layering unconventional instruments and lush harmonies into sonic masterpieces.
Cusack delivers a performance filled with restraint and quiet heartbreak, particularly in his scenes with Elizabeth Banks, who plays Melinda Ledbetter, the woman who would become Wilson’s wife and help save his life.
Sound itself becomes a character in the film. Composer Atticus Ross blends Beach Boys fragments with ambient noise and dissonance, letting us hear what Wilson may have heard—his inspiration and his inner torment.
It’s not always comfortable, but it’s unforgettable.
More Than a Story About Music
At its core, Love & Mercy is a film about survival—artistic, emotional and human. It’s about what it means to be broken and still create beauty, and what it takes to come back from the edge when everyone else has written you off.
If you ever drifted into a daydream while “God Only Knows” played on the radio—or marveled at how music could feel so personal—this film is your window into where that magic came from.