John Cusack - Love & Mercy (2015) Discussion

[–] caligirlbr323 9 years ago

Yeah, he really didn't look like him, but I think he did a pretty good job playing the role. Not as good as Paul Dano as the younger Brian, he was amazing, even though he didn't look like him either. IDK why they didn't have them wear blue contacts and lighten their hair up a bit?

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[–] CowgirlUp94 9 years ago

It wasn't the acting, as I said he's one of my favorites. He just did not physically fit the part, and that was hard for me to get past.

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[–] caligirlbr323 9 years ago

What do you guys think of my idea of the lighter hair and blue contacts? Would have made them look a little more like him, don't ya think?

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[–] CowgirlUp94 9 years ago

Ehh. I'm not sure. Their facial structure is just completely different, and I'm not convinced even a wig and contacts could have helped. It might have just made it worse.

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[–] kjperes13 9 years ago

A few threads down, there's a suggestion that Bill Murray's brother, Joel, has a real resemblance to Brian Wilson. I agree...but John Cusack still did a great acting job.

http://m.imdb.com/name/nm0615063/

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[–] CowgirlUp94 9 years ago

Physically Joel Murray might have been a better fit.

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[–] bugsweed 9 years ago

njet

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[–] CrunchCameron 9 years ago

They should have gotten Sam Rockwell to do it instead. He at least looks more like Brian Wilson and could've gotten the voice and mannerisms down.

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[–] KBiker (764) 4 years ago

Never thought of that, but you're right, Sam Rockwell would have great in this role. But then he's great in everything he does. He may not have the greatest range as an actor, but he would nailed this one.

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[–] gillies 9 years ago

John Cusack was PERFECT for this film. A big part of the film is the tenderness of the love story, and Cusack nailed it. He nailed it AGAIN (watch 'say anything' to understand what I'm talking about.)

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[–] omfg-pwn 9 years ago

He was great but I completely agree he looked nothing like Brian Wilson. It's a failure on the makeup/casting team, not Cusack himself.

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[–] gheilers 9 years ago

I think Cusack looked and behaved a *lot* the Brian Wilson of the mid-80s to early-90s period. I first learned of the film, by accidentally running across a clip. I saw Cusack on the screen, and immediately knew he was playing Brian Wilson, just from the mannerisms. Physically, I think he was as good - if not better - than Dano playing the younger Brian. The main reason people Accept Dano's performance, is because the costume people found articles of clothing that match the photos we have all seen, hundreds of times, over the past few decades.

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[–] mdpomroy 9 years ago

While Brian Murray looks like Wilson now, or ten years ago, the parts where Cusack was playing him were set in the late 80s.

He looked a lot more like Wilson from that era: http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/blogs/browbeat/2015/06/09/150606_BB_-sidebyside_80sBrianWilson.jpg.CROP.promo-mediumlarge.jpg

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[–] enicholson 9 years ago

Cusack nearly ruined the film for me. They may as well have cast Jamie Foxx or Ken Jeong. My choice for playing the older Brian Wilson would have been Jeff Daniels or maybe Russell Crowe.

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[–] caligirlbr323 9 years ago

Off topic, but speaking of Jamie Foxx. Didn't he play a fantastic Ray Charles? Talk about a good casting choice!

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[–] enicholson 9 years ago

Yes, he was great as Ray Charles. Another actor that could have made a good choice for the older Brian Wilson is Luke Wilson (Owen's brother), though he might be a tad too young.

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[–] caligirlbr323 9 years ago

Oh wow, you are so right about Luke Wilson! I just googled some recent pics of him. He really does resemble Brian Wilson! Luke is 43, that would be about the right age for Brian in the 1980's!

Funny, the same last name too! If they ever do another movie about Brian or the Beach boys , they really should consider Luke to play him!

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[–] TheChelseaDagger 9 years ago

The issue the filmmakers had i think was they had to find someone who also matches/mildly resembles Paul Dano. It was more believable for me to do that with Cusack than with Daniels or Crowe.

You see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps, Larry?!

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[–] lampefeber 9 years ago

He was terribly casted. He doesn't have any child-like qualities. The whole scene where he was buying a car an locked the doors was more creepy than adorable. I really don't understand how anybody would chose him for the part.

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[–] johnston.scot 9 years ago

Why do you think he was supposed to be "adorable" in that scene? I don't think that's what was intended, and I'm having some trouble understanding why anyone would intend that.

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[–] SteveResin 9 years ago

I have to agree. I loved the movie and although Cusack's performance was perfectly fine he just WASN'T Brian to me. Dano on the other hand was totally believeable. I kept getting distracted when Cusack was onscreen, because I just couldn't not see John Cusack, if you understand me. When Dano was onscreen I was watching Brian...

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Duty Now For The Future

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[–] boydwalters 9 years ago

Cusack, who I normally think is a good actor, was the one weak part of this film ... Everybody else was just perfect in their parts but he was just totally jarring and wrong ... It didn't ruin the film but certainly made him look bad ... Dano was just magical ... As was the film

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[–] jmckay27 9 years ago

My initial feeling was negative, since they seem so physically different, but I think Cusack got Wilson's persona down. For me it was great acting well done. Dano did a great job too.

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