Elizabeth Banks isn’t just a funny actress; she’s a bona fide force of nature in the world of comedy. Banks has starred in comedies like Zack and Miri Make a Porno and Role Models, earned awards acclaim for her role in 30 Rock, lent her voice to several animated projects, and begun directing satirical films with the underrated sequel Pitch Perfect 2, the action-comedy Charlie’s Angels, and the social media sensation that was Cocaine Bear. Banks can even add humor to non-comedy films; she added an amusing note of satire to The Hunger Games, and it seemed like she was the only one in on the joke with Power Rangers. However, she proved that she could go completely serious with her emotional performance in the 2015 drama Love & Mercy.

Love & Mercy explores the tragic story behind one of the most iconic musicians of all time, whose work has brought joy to countless fans. Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys suffered years of abuse under his psychologist and caregiver Dr. Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti), whose medication regime left him limited in mobility and mentally tormented. Love & Mercy tells an interlocking narrative focused on two points in Wilson’s life. The first focuses on his early inspirations as a young man (Paul Dano) who begins to suffer psychological problems; the second shows an older, disheveled and depressed version of Wilson (John Cusack) who has no reason to feel hope until Melinda Ledbetter (Banks) enters his life.

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As many critics of the film noted, the storyline focused on the younger Wilson is more inherently compelling thanks to Dano’s work, and the older storyline is simply hard to watch. No one wants to see the man behind “God Only Knows” and “Surfin’ USA” go through these horrific experiences, and that’s why Banks’ work is so important. She brings a warmth of vitality to the film, but also shows an urgency when the situation’s ramifications become evident to her. The chemistry she shares with Cusack is what makes Love & Mercy one of the greatest musician biopics in recent memory. It’s often inherently comedic performers who surprise us most, but Banks proved that she had the range to find hope in even the darkest of circumstances.

A Light in the Darkness

Elizabeth Banks in a scene from Love & Mercy

One of the most interesting creative choices that director Bill Pohland makes with Love & Mercy is telling the film’s story in non-chronological order; instead of following Wilson from his youth to his older years, the narratives featuring Dano and Cusack are intercut. This makes it even more jarring when after sequences of Dano’s vivacious role as a young and inspired version of the icon, Cusack appears as a disheveled, confused man wandering around a car retailer. It’s here where we first meet Banks’ version of Melinda. Her casual kindness towards Wilson is instantly soothing, as we can tell from his behavior that he is not at all well.

One of the key themes of the story is the way that mental illness is treated and stigmatized in society, and Banks brings out the beauty in accepting those who are in the midst of struggling. If Giamatti’s Levy represents the cruelty of those who abuse and take advantage of those with mental health concerns, Banks’ Melinda shows how simply giving someone time and respect goes a long way. It’s revealed that Melinda is a Cadillac saleswoman; not only is she in the middle of a busy day of work with demanding (and quite wealthy) clients, she’s in the middle of the sales floor watching a confused man dressed like a surfer walk around aimlessly. Our first instinct would suggest that a stressed out retailer would immediately kick out Wilson, yet Banks shows how curiosity into his situation allows her to understand what his struggles are. Her initial approach is timid, yet calming in a maternal sense.

It becomes simply delightful to watch these early moments between Wilson and Melinda. While Wilson’s mental state is fractured, he’s not incapacitated, and he still shows the same vivacious wit that defined so much of his musical chords. We see through Banks that Melinda brings these qualities out of him. She’s encouraging when he makes a joke, showing an amazement at the visual poetry that seems to drift in and out of him. We also get to experience through her the perception of celebrity culture; she gets to incredulously sit in an expensive vehicle with Wilson when he casually makes a split second decision to purchase it.

A Necessary Action

Elizabeth Banks and John Cusack sitting at a piano in Love & Mercy.

While the cross-cutting narrative device means we’re only getting glimpses of key moments from both eras of Wilson’s life, Banks and Cusack are able to show in a simple progression of scenes how quickly the two are attached. It’s not just that they’ve found something they enjoy about each other, but that they need each other. Yes, this is a story about the leader of the Beach Boys, but Melinda has her own narrative arc. There’s a sense from her wittiness and creativity that her talents are being wasted as a salesperson, and that she simply needs the opportunity to pursue another venture. In real life, Melinda is a highly successful talent agent, and Banks respects those elements of history by treating her story with dignity.

We also get to see Melinda’s utter disgust and horror upon her realizations about Levy and his treatment of Wilson. Since Wilson has become numb to knowing the difference, Banks’ perspective is essential as she steadily puts together evidence that Levy has been taking advantage of his most famous client. In one of the most difficult scenes to watch, an infuriated Levy screams personal insults at Melinda as Banks fights back sadness and range as she maintains her composure. It’s powerful, subtle work.

The story of Love & Mercy is ultimately an uplifting one, and the final image of Banks and Cusack staring into each other's souls is quite moving. Anyone who's ever struggled through hardship can take comfort in seeing the sensitivity and warmth that Banks brings to this character; sometimes listening is enough. She may simply enjoy comedy more, but Banks proved with Love & Mercy that her talents range far beyond that.