Love & Mercy is the title of a movie about some key moments in the life of one Brian Wilson. I’m sure that many of you know that Brian is a member of the Beach Boys. He is also the creative instigator of the group. He wrote most of the songs and music for the band, many of which are rolling around in our ears still today.
The movie, based on Brian’s autobiography, chooses to highlight and contrast his younger years of churning out the music with his older years of struggle against mental illness and an oppressive/abusive caretaker. Paul Dano plays the younger Brian and John Cusack the older Brian. It is an interesting way to present the story and I liked the back and forth view of history. The music is great of course. It is the focus on the toll that being a musical genius can force upon you, that really caught my attention.
I am far from a musical genius, or genius of any kind. However, I can sympathize with being the owner of a creative mind. The creative artist is a different beast than most.Throughout any given day I can have a number of stories, characters, plot points, and other creative endeavors whirling about in my mind. I sometimes wonder what ordinary, non-artistic people think about throughout the day. If I do not have a current creative project to attack, I have an urge to start one, thus it never ends. Not that I am complaining or anything. It is what makes me hum, so to speak.
I can almost imagine if a movie were to be made about me someday. It would obviously highlight and accentuate my OCD, my board game hobby, my general worrisome nature. They would have to cast older because nothing of note has even happened to me yet. No doubt it would be very boring.
Now if they could see inside my head…
Brandon Jimison 