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Love & Mercy

Love & Mercy

Drama · Music · History · 2015

In the late 1960s, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson stops touring, produces "Pet Sounds" and begins to lose his grip on reality. By the 1980s, under the sway of a controlling therapist, he finds a savior in Melinda Ledbetter.

Movie details

Love & Mercy

“The Life, Love and Genius of Brian Wilson”

2015 Drama · Music · History 2h 0m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.1 / 10

Community rating

In the late 1960s, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson stops touring, produces "Pet Sounds" and begins to lose his grip on reality. By the 1980s, under the sway of a controlling therapist, he finds a savior in Melinda Ledbetter.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Love & Mercy?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Bill Pohlad

Written by

Oren Moverman · Michael A. Lerner

Paul Dano

Paul Dano

Brian Wilson 1960s

John Cusack

John Cusack

Brian Wilson 1980s

Elizabeth Banks

Elizabeth Banks

Melinda Ledbetter

Paul Giamatti

Paul Giamatti

Dr. Eugene Landy

Jake Abel

Jake Abel

Mike Love

Kenny Wormald

Kenny Wormald

Dennis Wilson

Brett Davern

Brett Davern

Carl Wilson

Court is in session

Put Love & Mercy on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.