The Beach Boys

Beach Boys (2024) A documentary that is a visual and audible treat on the origins and rise of the Beach Boys and the sad fall of the sandbox five.

I think with all these types of documentaries, the enjoyment factor depends on how much you love the featured artist, I Love the Beach Boys, preferring their late 60s early 70s work to their sunshine pop. That said there are too many talking heads in the film, which is pretty standard for these films, does anyone actually care what this if that musician or journalist thinks of the featured band. In this case we have a couple of musician types who talk of listening to Pet Sounds as if it was new we to them and gave them a moment of epiphany . Due to their age, the album wouldn't , couldn't even be revelatory with much more spiritual music of more relevance to those younger ears.

Footnote, I can't actually see who will find this documentary of interest, diehard fans have heard it all before, and newbies would find all the early footage and music very twee and lacking any sophistication.

Sad end to the film when we see the now geriatric and dementia suffering Brian with his surviving band mates. Like the Beach Boys of the last 50 years we see one more cheque and payout at the expense of Brian's mental health and vulnerability.