An Interview with Director Bill Pohlad of 'Love & Mercy' - The Beach Boys' New Biopic

A new music biopic was featured at the AARP Movies for Grown-Ups Film Festival in Miami. The movie delves deeply into the troubled life of Brian Wilson, the creative genius behind The Beach Boys, from a compassionate and compelling point of view.
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A special pre-screen of the new music biopic Love & Mercy was featured at the AARP Movies for Grown Ups Film Festival in Miami.

The movie delves deeply into the troubled life of Brian Wilson, the creative genius behind The Beach Boys, from a compassionate and compelling point of view.

Paul Dano plays Brian Wilson in the sixties, with John Cusack portraying the older Wilson. Paul Giamatti stars as Dr. Eugene Landy, the doctor who took advantage of Wilson's condition for his own gain, and Elizabeth Banks as Melinda Ledbetter, who helps Wilson escape from Landy's clutches.

David James of GypsyNester.com was pleased to have the opportunity to sit down after the screening with the film's director and producer, Bill Pohlad (12 Years a Slave, Wild), to chat a bit about the extent of Brian Wilson's involvement with the project and how this involvement affected the production of Love and Mercy.

Bill explains his desire to keep the movie away from the tabloid type of representation of a pop music icon, and he and David discuss the incredible influence the Beach Boys music, specifically the landmark album Pet Sounds, had on many of the bands in the sixties, especially The Beatles.

Love & Mercy will be in theaters June 5th.

David and Veronica, GypsyNester.com

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