The most recent 20 years of Brian Wilson's life will be chronicled in a new documentary. Director Brent Wilson (no relation) says the project will feature conversations between the Beach Boys legend and writer Jason Fine. Although it doesn't yet have a title, the movie is almost completed and is expected to be released in 2019.

“Over the years, Jason and I have had a lot of fun times," Brian Wilson told Rolling Stone, "just relaxing and listening to music, talking at the deli and cruising down to Malibu for sushi, so we got into that groove to make this movie. I hope it shows people the love I feel and the hope I have to share love through my music.”

Brent Wilson originally attempted to interview Brian for the movie, but it didn't go well. “He’s hated being interviewed and he’s answered every question a million times," Brent said. "They were both 20 minutes of pain. He just wasn’t into it. After the second one I thought to myself, ‘Man, I’ve got no film here. I’m done. My career is over. This is it.'”

But he then remembered a far more revelatory article that featured the musician and the interviewer conversing as they were driving around his native Los Angeles. And Brian Wilson's manager recommended Fine, an editor at Rolling Stone, with whom Brian had already had a good rapport.

“Jason and Brian would just drive around for six, seven, eight hours a day – for weeks – trying to get Brian to open up and talk freely," Brent told Variety. "And it worked brilliantly, because I’ve never seen Brian in any interview or any documentary where he’s been this honest. I mean, just brutally honest sometimes.”

The film also takes a different approach to Wilson's career. Instead of focusing on the Beach Boys days or the time with Dr. Eugene Landy, both of which were delved into in the 2015 film Love and Mercy, Brent wanted to tell the story of how Brian has continued to record and perform.

“We all really felt that Brian is living this really remarkable third act in his life, that as far as I can think of very few artists get to do," Brent added. "I was intrigued by the fact that here Brian was doing something at the age of 75 that he didn’t have the courage to do at 25, which was touring.”

In addition to the footage with Fine in the car, the movie also includes scenes of Brian Wilson in the studio working on new music and interviews with Elton John, Bruce Springsteen and other famous longtime fans.
 
 

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