We love Cusack
Beach Boys co-founder and leader Brian Wilson (portrayed by John Cusack and Paul Dano at different ages) is widely hailed as a brilliant songwriter and producer, and one of the greatest creative minds in music. But a combination of drugs and schizophrenia lead him down a dark path — right into the hands of the manipulative Dr. Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti). A shadow of his former self, he meets and falls in love with Cadillac saleswoman Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks), who recognizes his plight and is determined to save him. We think multiple actors and Hollywood clichés might bring this down, but we (well, most of us) sure love us some John Cusack anyway.
Love & Mercy opens June 5 at Kahala Theatre.
PAIGE: I was pretty baffled watching this because I did not realize it was jumping between two time periods. You’d think the clothes would’ve tipped me off, but no. I figured it out not when the trailer ended, but when I went to Wikipedia to read a synopsis.
JAMES: I was a little confused about Paul Dano and John Cusack playing alternate versions of him. Reminds me of the Bob Dylan movie I’m Not There, in which he was played by multiple actors, male and female, of different ethnicities. It was difficult to get engaged in it emotionally because it was more of a conceptual exercise. This flick seems to want to engage the audience more, so it’s an interesting choice of tactic, pulling the old switcheroo.
NICOLE: I can see how this can pose a problem, when there are two drastically different actors playing Brian Wilson, but I have faith. And you aren’t normally the same person you were 20 years ago.
CHRISTINA: I wouldn’t say that I am a huge Beach Boys fan, but I have listened to them on and off … But I had no idea that Wilson had so many difficulties in his personal life. It makes me surprised that their music isn’t darker. Most of what I have heard of the Beach Boys sounds so happy.
JAMES: I didn’t know too much about Wilson’s schizophrenia. This might be the musical equivalent to A Beautiful Mind, where a genius is diagnosed with mental disorder, and the medication stifles his mind. Is he alive? Or just surviving? Is he going to come out of it for another moment of brilliance?
PAIGE: Not a huge fan of the “broken man who needs a good woman to fix him” trope. Elizabeth Banks is just so sweet and angelic here; I feel like she’s been shoehorned in this saintly role and we won’t get to see much more from her.
JAMES: This is the same kind of role played by Jennifer Connolly in A Beautiful Mind, Reese Witherspoon in Walk the Line and Kerry Washington in Ray.
CHRISTINA: This movie looks amazing and I really want to see it, but I feel like this trope is what we get when men make up so much of Hollywood. Why does the idea of a broken woman who needs a good man so rarely seem to cross filmmakers’ minds?
JAMES: John Cusack excels at looking out of it. It’s just his face. Tired and sleepy. Even in that disaster movie, 2012, where the world is ending and he’s driving through collapsing buildings. Couldn’t keep his eyes open. So. Tired. Must. Outrun. Chasm.
CHRISTINA: I am in love with John Cusack. I saw Say Anything when I was 15, so that explains that. Plus, he is excellent at portraying damaged
characters.
NICOLE: I was totally in love with him. And now I want to make his face my desktop background image. Would you say, James, that his face is droopy?
CHRISTINA: NO. John Cusack is the most handsome, ever.
JAMES: Ha ha, Nic. Yeah, a little bit on the droopy side. But he’s a likable actor.
PAIGE: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Most handsome, ever? That guy? Really?
NICOLE: Paige, this time you’re outnumbered.
JAIMIE: This is pretty much the exact same formulaic plot of any movie about some tortured artist/genius, but I DON’T CARE because John Cusack is playing Brian Wilson. John Cusack should play everyone. The end.
