34. Brian Wilson - Long Promised Road; movie review

 

BRIAN WILSON - LONG PROMISED ROAD

Cert 12A

93 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language, drug references, mental health references, domestic abuse

The shuffling near-80-year-old who lacks even the confidence to come up with his own order at a restaurant is a musical genius.

Few people who saw Brian Wilson tucking in with his friend Jason Fine would recognise the man who came up with one of the iconic sounds of the 60s.

But, after all his years of strife, it is great to see that he is still making music and enjoying life with his family.

Brian is revered among his peers and there are glowing contributions during Brent Wilson's documentary from the likes of Elton John and Bruce Springsteen.

Its backbone is a conversation between Wilson and Fine, a Rolling Stone journalist who has been his close friend over the best part of 30 years.

Brian is a notoriously uncomfortable interviewee, so Fine and the director came up with the idea of driving him around places in Los Angeles to trigger conversations.

Thus, they take us through his life from childhood to the present day with particularly strong references to family as well as his career.

Occasionally, he asks Fine to put a special song on the radio, prompted by their chats.

The superb movie Love & Mercy had gone into detail about Brian's mental health issues and how he was exploited by a 'manager' who locked him away for nine years.

This is a much quieter film and addresses his dark times only briefly.

Instead, it probes gently at his love for his brothers and fellow Beach Boys Carl and Dennis who died at early ages as well as the people and places which gave him inspiration for his music.

It also glimpses recent performances in the studio and on stage.

In my view, it is not as intoxicating as Love & Mercy but an easygoing complementary film which will please fans.

Reasons to watch: The tale of a genius

Reasons to avoid: Too much present and not enough past

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? Brian Wilson has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards and won twice as a solo artist. Three nominations were with the Beach Boys. The Beach Boys also received an honorary Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

The final word. Jason Fine: "Brian lives now probably less than 10-15 miles from where he grew up and so everywhere around LA is somewhere that has memories for him, whether it’s where he wrote a song, thought of a song, where he went to a restaurant, or where he had an experience. Being able to sort of traverse his home turf with him in that kind of deep of a way was really special." Solzy At The Movies

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