Told in two parts side-by-side, with Paul Dano playing the younger Brian and John Cusack playing the older, the film shows how drugs and the pressure to create lead to his mental breakdown, but also his eventual recovery thanks to his then girlfriend (Elizabeth Banks) rescuing him from the clutches of a dubious and controlling psychiatrist (Paul Giamatti). Like most bio-pics, it must be taken with a pinch of salt and I would imagine that the reality was a lot more complicated. However, Brian's eventual completion of his master work, Smile, gives testament to his recovery and innate genius. Recommended.
Showing posts with label John Cusack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Cusack. Show all posts
Monday, 31 October 2016
Love and Mercy
Another film from the Amazon subscription, this charts both the decline into mental illness and eventual recovery of Brian Wilson, the songwriter behind the Beachboys' many hits.
Told in two parts side-by-side, with Paul Dano playing the younger Brian and John Cusack playing the older, the film shows how drugs and the pressure to create lead to his mental breakdown, but also his eventual recovery thanks to his then girlfriend (Elizabeth Banks) rescuing him from the clutches of a dubious and controlling psychiatrist (Paul Giamatti). Like most bio-pics, it must be taken with a pinch of salt and I would imagine that the reality was a lot more complicated. However, Brian's eventual completion of his master work, Smile, gives testament to his recovery and innate genius. Recommended.
Told in two parts side-by-side, with Paul Dano playing the younger Brian and John Cusack playing the older, the film shows how drugs and the pressure to create lead to his mental breakdown, but also his eventual recovery thanks to his then girlfriend (Elizabeth Banks) rescuing him from the clutches of a dubious and controlling psychiatrist (Paul Giamatti). Like most bio-pics, it must be taken with a pinch of salt and I would imagine that the reality was a lot more complicated. However, Brian's eventual completion of his master work, Smile, gives testament to his recovery and innate genius. Recommended.
Sunday, 19 January 2014
Dead Man Down and The Numbers Station
Two films from my LoveFilm subscription. The first is a spy thriller with John Cusack and Liam Cunningham. After failing during an assassination, burnt-out CIA agent Emerson (Cusack) is sent to guard a cipher clerk at a remote radio transmission station.
Although the film has a good premise, it lacks substance. Cusack is good enough, and he has good support from Malin Åkerman and Cunnigham, but there's the feeling that there should have been a proper adversary for him, although the limited budget doesn't really help. An opportunity missed.
The second film is a rather good revenge thriller starring Colin Farrell. The vengeance of a criminal, "Victor" (Farrell), against his fellow gang members is jeopardised by his involvement with a neighbour.
Although the film promises to be quite bleak, and even run-of-the-mill, it's raised by the unlikely and awkward romance between Victor and Beatrice (Noomi Rapace), and good support from Isabelle Huppert and Dominic Cooper. Recommended.
Although the film has a good premise, it lacks substance. Cusack is good enough, and he has good support from Malin Åkerman and Cunnigham, but there's the feeling that there should have been a proper adversary for him, although the limited budget doesn't really help. An opportunity missed.
The second film is a rather good revenge thriller starring Colin Farrell. The vengeance of a criminal, "Victor" (Farrell), against his fellow gang members is jeopardised by his involvement with a neighbour.
Although the film promises to be quite bleak, and even run-of-the-mill, it's raised by the unlikely and awkward romance between Victor and Beatrice (Noomi Rapace), and good support from Isabelle Huppert and Dominic Cooper. Recommended.
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