Love & Mercy (2015)
Kernel Score: 78% · 738 ratings · Rated PG-13
Genres: Drama, Music, History
Released: 2015-05-29
Runtime: 120 minutes
Where to watch Love & Mercy
- Stream: Prime Video
- Free with ads: Kanopy, Hoopla, The Roku Channel, YouTube Free, Plex
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
In the late 1960s, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson stops touring, produces "Pet Sounds" and begins to lose his grip on reality. By the 1980s, under the sway of a controlling therapist, he finds a savior in Melinda Ledbetter.
Love & Mercy parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that Love & Mercy is a PG-13 biographical drama about Beach Boys musician Brian Wilson's mental illness and manipulation by a controlling therapist.
- Drinking, drugs & smoking: Some — Depicts 1960s-80s music industry culture and Brian Wilson's decline, with implied substance use tied to his mental health struggles.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG-13 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Love & Mercy
If you liked Love & Mercy, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Elvis (2022) — 84%
- What's Love Got to Do with It (1993) — 78%
- Almost Famous (2000) — 85%
- Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022) — 77%
- La Bamba (1987) — 82%
- Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) — 81%
- A Complete Unknown (2024) — 81%
- ariana grande: excuse me, i love you (2020) — 89%
Director
Cast
- Paul Dano as Brian Wilson 1960s
- John Cusack as Brian Wilson 1980s
- Elizabeth Banks as Melinda Ledbetter
- Paul Giamatti as Dr. Eugene Landy
- Jake Abel as Mike Love
- Kenny Wormald as Dennis Wilson
- Brett Davern as Carl Wilson
- Graham Rogers as Al Jardine
- Erin Darke as Marilyn Wilson
- Bill Camp as Murry Wilson
Love & Mercy FAQ
Is Love & Mercy good?
Love & Mercy has a 78% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels from 738 audience ratings.
Where can I watch Love & Mercy?
In the US you can stream Love & Mercy on Prime Video, watch it free with ads on Kanopy, Hoopla, The Roku Channel, YouTube Free and Plex and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is Love & Mercy OK for kids?
Love & Mercy is rated PG-13. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that Love & Mercy is a PG-13 biographical drama about Beach Boys musician Brian Wilson's mental illness and manipulation by a controlling therapist.
What movies are like Love & Mercy?
If you liked Love & Mercy, try Elvis, What's Love Got to Do with It, Almost Famous and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody.