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From The New Yorker
Don Was's black-and-white documentary is a fascinating portrait of the pop-music wizard Brian Wilson, the prime mover of the Beach Boys. A reclusive and dauntingly odd figure even in the group's sixties heyday, Wilson has acquired, in the years since, the reputation of a brilliant mind gone gaga-a casualty of drugs, depression, and its own unendurable complexity. The fifty-two-year-old man we see here still looks a little shaky, but he's holding himself together well enough to make some terriffic music; in the movie's terms, that's all that matters. A recording session in which Wilson belts out glorious new versions of a few of his best songs gives the picture its satisfying shape. He plays them with unaccountable fervor: he seems to be opening his heart. The cast of talking-heads commentators includes Wilson's mother, his daughters (Wendy and Carnie, of Wilson Phillips), his brother (and fellow Beach Boy) Carl, and an eclectic bunch of admiring musicians. -Terrence Rafferty
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Product Description
As the undeniable force behind the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson led the group into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Through a richly woven tapestry of candid interviews with family, friends, peers and Wilson himself, I Just Wasn't Made For These Times chronicles his remarkable, tumultuous life. This insightful documentary captures the playfulness, genius and unconquerable spirit of an American pop visionary. Includes trailer.

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11 Reviews 5 star:  (4) 4 star:  (5) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:  (2) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review (11 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   11 of 11 people found the following review helpful: Weird, arty appreciation, September 26, 2002 By  kennedy19 "kennedy19" (wakefield, ma USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: Brian Wilson - I Just Wasn't Made for These Times (VHS Tape) What is this video? It is part first-person documentary, and part appreciation, made in the mid-90s when Wilson finally seemed to be finding the peace of mind that stays with him today. (His obviously devoted new wife stays beside him for much of the footage. Dr. Landy, who basically saved Brian's life according to Brian's 1991 autobiography, is now out of the picture and is never mentioned by name.) The entire thing is filmed in very arty, hard-lit black-and-white. There is no narration except for that of the inteviewees, and not much archival footage of the Beach Boys. What we get instead is Brian himself giving us brief, converstional summaries of periods of his life and songwriting inspiration, supplemented by comments from his mother, his ex-wife Marilyn, and his brother Carl (who died a few years after this film was made in the mid-nineties.) There are also some enlightening musical analysis from someone (I'm not sure who he is), and appreciative comments from fellow musicians ranging from Wilson collaborators Tony Asher and Van Dyke Parks, to David Crosby, John Cale, Tom Petty, and Linda Ronstadt. Wilson's daughters also comment briefly on their relationship with their Dad, and sing with him at the end. Throughout the film, certain excellent old songs of Brian are briefly discussed and then we get good footage of Brian performing the songs with a new studio band in Hollywood. (The performances, produced by Don Was, are very good, and fans might want to consider buying the soundtrack CD of this film. Fans expecting to hear the original Beach Boy recordings will not find them here.) Parts of the film feel like surreal arthouse filmmaking - silent closeups of Audree Wilson's face behind sunglasses as she gropes for words, odd footage of Brian and his mother and brother singing "In my Room" at the piano, Linda Ronstadt in a spotlight dressed in a puffy costume for some unknown theatrical show... Overall this is not a definitive documentary of Wilson's life or work by any means, but it does give you a good idea of why this odd man is so beloved and why his work is so important.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you?