Midas Man – Director: Joe A. Stephenson (film review of “13th Floor”)
Post-Peter Jackson’S Come back, Interest in all things Beatles has certainly increased… not that it ever stalled, so what better time to release a film about the “5th Beatle“ …Manager Brian Epstein?
Cast: Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Emily Watson, Eddie Marson, Eddie Izzard, Jay Leno
The film went through some teething issues, with Covid, creative differences, scheduling conflicts and three directors trying to make it. The driving force behind the project was producer Trevor Beattie, who saw it through to the end.
So was it worth all the effort?
Yes… and no.
Main actor Jacob Fortune Lloyd is the film’s greatest strength. He does a wonderful job of portraying Epstein, a young, non-gay Jewish man whose family ran a chain of record stores and who, in November 1961, caught the then-unknown Beatles at a lunchtime concert at the Cavern Club in Liverpool.
Brian immediately saw what many others didn’t… a band with the talent to take on the world. His passion is palpable, and the scenes of Epstein pitching the group to unsuspecting record label incompetent people are some of the best in the film.
The actors are also credible, The Beatles himself.
The film doesn’t delve into Brian’s struggles with addiction, gambling, and his own sexuality, although the alleged tryst with Lennon in Spain in 1963 isn’t addressed. Instead, we get to see a fictional relationship that doesn’t quite fit with the rest of the film.
And although most of the casting decisions work…Emily Watson and Eddie Marsan are Brian’s understanding parents and Eddie Izzard Cameo appearances as Allan Williams, the first manager of the “boys”. But I have to sayJay Leno as Ed Sullivan is simply not enough.
Another disadvantage is the lack of Beatles songs in the film. When we see them perform, they are non-original tunes like Money or Please Mr Postman.
I like the decision to have Fortune-Lloyd break the fourth wall and occasionally address us, the audience, and the overall spirit and feel of the film works.
Unfortunately, Brian Epstein died in 1967, just months after the release of Sgt Pepper, leaving the Fab Four leaderless. Although they continued to make great music for a few more years, nothing was the same without Brian… the man who devoted his life to making them the “topper of all pop stars.”
Marty Duda
Midas Man is in cinemas in New Zealand today. Click here for tickets and showtimes
