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| Paul Dano |
Welcome to the weekly column Trailing Off in which I take a look at a trailer from the past week and analyze its potential. This will be done using an obnoxious amount of analyzing and personal thoughts on the cast and crew as well as expectations. Coming every Sunday (it's called Trailing Off for a reason), I will attempt to highlight films ranging from new blockbusters to lesser known indies and give them their due. Partially to spread awareness, I do believe that there is an art to the sell and will do my best to highlight why these trailers matter or don't with approval (trove) or disapproval (trash). So please stop by, recommend some trailers, and I will see you next time.
Trailer in Discussion
Directed By: Bill Pohlad
Written By: Michael A. Lerner, Oren Moverman (screenplay)
Starring: Elisabeth Banks, John Cusack, Paul Dano
- The Preamble -
For what it's worth, there's a safe bet in making biopics of famous people, especially if they are eccentric. Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys has a notorious past full of memorable and strange moments that has produced some of the most beloved music of recent decades. His harmonies are infectious. However, there's a lot of back story that people nowadays don't generally know about the insanity and odd moments that he went through in order to make that music. I will not go into any of them, but from the looks of Love & Mercy, this may be a film about those moments in which he made great music, but at a cost.
It is a simple gimmick that can sell tickets because sure enough, there's Beach Boys fans out there. Wilson still goes out and tours. Everything is fine about this. However, it doesn't really feel essential because the music has withstood the test of time. There isn't much that doesn't scream that this is a cash grab of some sort. Maybe there is some merit in bringing this to the screen. I am not entirely sure. However, it is happening and I am a little conflicted on the leads who are supposedly playing him as an adult and as a younger man.
I don't have anything against Paul Dano, but he has been an oddball in cinema for a long time now. Sure, he had earlier hits such as There Will Be Blood and Little Miss Sunshine to his credit. However, it does feel like his career has been stalling ever since. He has popped up in random films such as Ruby Sparks, but was met with very little acclaim. What is going to happen with him here? Is this just a ploy to get his attention back? I am assuming so. Considering that nobody else in the film really feels reputable in ways that scream otherwise, I can only hope that this is going to be a mislead and that I am going to end up caring about Wilson more than the prospects of this biopic will have me believe.
- Dissection -
For starters, this is a trailer more to establish that this film exists. With "God Only Knows" playing in the background, it already feels like the legacy of the actual musician is doing the heavy work. If you have an affinity for the song, you'll easily feel more open to giving everything underneath this song a shot. As it stands, there are various moments spliced in with wave transition shots that make it seem all mystical and make the life of Wilson both romantic and somewhat sad. The juxtaposition is a little staggering, especially when adding John Cusack to the mix. He is only allowed to look forward and do whatever it is that he is supposed to do.
Meanwhile, we're supposed to be hung up on the idea that Dano looks a little like Wilson. There isn't any substantial scene that makes us care about this movie. It's a matter of clips showing Dano reenacting famous moments, whether it be performing or holding a surfboard. There's a lot of iconography that if you're a fan, you'll get immediate nostalgia trips for. However, it is simply manipulation and the song only helps to get you into that mood. I'm not saying that they're awful looking clips, but the trailer doesn't really have much purpose other than to say that Love & Mercy is a film and that Beach Boys fans will like it.
Yes, there's even a few blurbs along with the package to suggest this. There isn't anything inherently wrong with the trailer's motives. It knows its audience pretty well. However, there is very little appealing that wouldn't be achieved from blindly selling someone a ticket. It could be good, possibly even as great as the blurbs make it out to be. However, this is all about hitting a specific demographic and getting fans to care. Maybe when a more professional trailer comes out, it will strike a broader audience. However, it still doesn't have much allure beyond that.
- One Sentence Sell -
There's a new biopic on The Beach Boys member Brian Wilson, if you're at all interested in that stuff.
- Trove or Trash -
TRASH
I honestly did try to give this one a shot, but it doesn't really grab me or make me care even a little about seeing the film. Maybe as more marketing materials come out, I will see this as something greater. For now, it is something that has potential, but won't likely get anyone who isn't already a Beach Boys fan.
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