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Sep 04, 2017lukasevansherman rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
This well-meaning, but so-so biopic of head Beach Boy Brian Wilson (Or beach man as he once insisted to his overbearing father.) tries to tell two distinct stories, one about his brilliant work in the 60s, in which he's played by Paul Dano, and one about the woman (Elizabeth Banks) who saves him from his manipulative, malicious shrink (Paul Giamatti). In the this story he's played by John Cusack, who looks nothing like Wilson. There are good moments (especially when Wilson is working) and the acting is good, but it's uneven and tries to cover too much material. I actually would have preferred a straight documentary. For more about Wilson's mental health issues and musical genius, there's Peter Ames Carlin's book "Catch a Wave." God only knows if this movie could've been better.