I have always been a big Beach Boys & Brian Wilson fan and so wasn't sure if I'd like this. Brian Wilson was a very complex character who suffered from mental illness at a very early stage of his career, exacerbated by his main advisor at the time, Eugene Landy. This film handled the subject matter and Brian's own personal experiences brilliantly. Moving between the two main stages of his life (the 60s Pet Sounds era & the 80s when he finally began to break free of Landy), the film tells the story of his fight for affection from his father and of the battle his wife had to rescue him from the clutches of Landy ...also quite prominent was the battle he had with bandmate and cousin Mike Love to get his music heard and played especially during the Pet Sounds days.

This is a fascinating insight into a complex character who fought his demons over a period of 20 years and won.

Anyone interested in music biopics and the Beach Boys especially. Brian is often credited as being the catalyst for The Beatles' Sgt Pepper as the two bands had a great rivalry at the time.

the regular moving between the 60s and 80s and the way both eras portrayed Brian's initial descent into depression and latterly his coming out of it. Of course depression isnt usually temporary so when I say that I mean in the way it manifests itself

There was nothing really I didnt like although I didnt think John Cussack was ideally suited to playing this part.

I like a film which is not straight forward ....goes a bit deeper and is a bit different. Makes you think. I'd def recommend anyone watch it for those reasons ....also to understand what a genius Brian Wilson was.

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Created Feb 17, 2016 at 4:22pm • Submit your own review...