Citizen Rules...Cinemaesque Chat-n-Review

Ha, more like PG Actually it's unrated. This is Ray Milland's last big starring role in a decent movie. It's fun.

Rules, I remember seeing X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes several years ago. It was bad... or good... in that peculiar Roger Corman sort of way.
It was strange seeing Ray Milland (known as a serious actor for his dramatic roles) in a Corman Sci-Fi / horror flick like this. (It would be like sticking Charleton Heston in a movie about zombies... heh-heh!)
Weirdest of all, though, was Don Rickles being in the movie... and being particularly un-funny at that.

That took me a few seconds then I got it...ha! (I love Omega Man)

Don Rickles slipped into the sleazy conniving carny role very well. I really need to watch more Roger Corman stuff. Have you ever looked him up on IMDB he must have produced a million movies, all with tantalizing names.

Corman is known as the "B" movie king.

And Don Rickles actually has some acting chops - especially when playing sleazy or even tough-guy characters (see his role in Casino - it's understated to the best of my memory, but he plays it well.)

I totally forgot he was in Casino. I was impressed with that film too. Who can forget Joe Pesci sticking a guy in a throat with a pencil. Or the Irishman in the vise clamp scene....eck!

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Citizen, have you seen Bright Star? The Jane Campion film.

I haven't so it's not a recommendation. Just curious what you think.

Gosh, I don't know. I asked my wife and she didn't remember it. I looked at the movie at IMDB but it doesn't ring a bell. But that is the kind of film I would like so I added it to my watch list. Glad you mentioned it. I'm about to turn into a pumpkin so catch ya latter

Love & Mercy (2014)
Director: Bill Pohlad
Stars: John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music

In 1966 the Beach Boys are struggling to complete their masterpiece album Pet Sounds and Brian Wilson (Paul Dano) is struggling with mental illness. In the mid 1980's an older Brian Wilson (John Cusack) is a virtual prisoner of his controlling therapist Dr. Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti), when he meets a caring woman Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks)...CR

I love the Beach Boys music, but by mercy what did I just watch? This film is bi polar, with half of it set in the 1960's with Paul Dano playing Brian Wilson...and the other half set in the 1980's with John Cusack also playing Brian Wilson. Why?...Was this suppose to be clever? It's not, it's distracting.

Cusack isn't bad in this, he just doesn't look the part. Paul Dano on the other hand embodies Brian Wilson, he looks like him, acts like him. I believed his performance. Why couldn't the make up department age Dano for the 1980's version?

All this back and forth time travel with two different Brian Wilson makes for an unstructured film. It didn't hold my attention. Which is too bad as there were scenes in the 1960s with Dano, showing his mental illness creeping up on him, that were powerful. I could see how frightened and confused Brian was. It was really sad to watch such an artistic genius, suffer....But then we flash forward and my emotional investment is put on hold as we watch Cusack in the 80s.

Paul Giamatti plays the evil therapist who has legal guardianship over Brian. Giamatti's a fine actor but here the director has him totally over top with evilness. All he needed was a black cape and to twirl his mustache. The bad wig didn't help either.

Elizabeth Banks was fine but they might have toned down her Barbie doll look. Why she falls for a confused mumbling Brain Wilson is never made clear either.

This was a great story opportunity that I feel was diminished by having two different adult actors play Brain Wilson.

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I was on the fence about watching Love & Mercy because I'm not a big Beach Boys fan, so I'll probably pass on this movie. I was really only going to watch it for John Cusack anyway.

My gut tells me you won't like the movie. Oh there is no complete Beach Boys songs in the film. I'm guessing that's because of copyrights. They do some snipets though.

I'm a big fan of Paul Dano.

I've only seen Paul Dano in a couple of movies, so I haven't really formed an opinion of him yet, but I liked him in Ruby Sparks.

I haven't seen him in many only: Ruby Sparks, 12 Years a Slave, Little Miss Sunshine and Meek's Cutoff.

Catch ya latter.

I think Paul Dano is fantastic; he was great in There Will Be Blood, Prisoners, 12 Years a Slave, and Weapons. He's been in other movies I've seen but I don't remember the roles well.

Interesting review. Some stuff I disagree on but ultimately can't argue against, in other words they are valid criticisms.

Most importantly though, I'm with you that the Paul Dano and the scenes regarding Wilson's youth and downfall into psychosis was the best thing about it. He was absolutely terrific and it was a great depiction of mental illness.

How dare you. On behalf of all confused, mumbling crazies such as myself, I am deeply offended.

I'm disappointed because I AM a huge Beach Boys fan, so I had high hopes for this film. Sad to hear they use chronological jumbling to try to be clever rather than just tell Brian's story. I'll probably still check it out when it comes on cable.

P.S. Now I can't help remembering that there were multiple Brian Wilson references in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story - especially the scene where he was demanding more didgeridoos...
(warning: foul language & nudity)

He was touching in those moments. I cared about the character and would have loved to see more of his story set in the 1960s.

That's why I was so disappointed in the 1980s storyline, which I felt was done like a made for TV movie, very over the top. If I could rate just the 1960s Paul Dano storyline I would give it a

I watched that clip! funny....And strangely similar to the studio scene in Love & Mercy. If you ever watch it you'll know what I mean.

We had very different experiences with Love & Mercy. I really loved the two part structure. I could probably be convinced with your criticisms of Banks character but I don't know how half these big time musicians get girlfriends.

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