The new biopic about The Fab Four's first manager portrays Brian Epstein well, but falls short in its storytelling
Brian Epstein was The Beatles’ first official manager and perhaps the person most responsible for their rapid rise to global superstardom. He went on to ‘discover’ other famous Liverpudlian musicians too, such as Cilla Black and Gerry and the Pacemakers. Midas Man, a new biopic from British director Joe Stephenson, tells the tale of a man who, despite dying at 32 from an accidental overdose, left an indelible mark on music history.
Brian (played by Jacob Fortune-Lloyd) is the scion of a successful family of Jewish retailers in Liverpool. His parents, Harry and Queenie (the always-dependable Eddie Marsan and Emily Watson), want him to join the family’s thriving furniture business, but he only dreams of selling records. He proves extremely good at it, too, founding Liverpool’s premier music store. Then, one fateful afternoon, he attends a show at The Cavern Club, where he first hears The Beatles playing live. It’s love at first sight – and sound. Brian convinces them to sign with him and you know what happened next.
Midas Man is at its strongest when it focuses on its central character. Fortune-Lloyd delivers a lovely performance, full of pathos and a sadness lingering behind his eyes. His portrayal of Brian is something of a tortured soul, burdened by a deep sense of loneliness resulting from his suppressed homosexuality. At the time, gay sex was illegal in Britain and we see Brian fleeing from the police after one illicit tryst near the docks. He is an outsider in every way – Jewish, gay, a Scouser with a public school accent. But when it comes to business, he turns this into a strength. During a meeting, record producer George Martin (Charley Palmer Rothwell) asks Brian why he wants to work with him – a producer known for making comedy records. Brian smiles sadly before replying. “Everywhere I go, people laugh at me. We should be very successful together.”
The film struggles much more when it comes to its depiction of The Fab Four – or five, including their first drummer Pete Best. The band is played by Jonah Lees (John Lennon), Blake Richardson (Paul McCartney), Leo Harvey-Elledge (George Harrison), Campbell Wallace (Ringo Starr) and Adam Lawrence (Best). Portraying such well-known figures on screen is always a challenge, but here the performances – complete with cod-Beatles accents – veer close to caricature. Due to licensing restrictions, the film also suffers from a glaring lack of any actual music by the band.
Narratively, Midas Man tries to cover far too much ground and becomes jumbled. Archive footage is frequently used to paper over the cracks, whilst several subplots and characters feel shoehorned. The film shies away from Brian’s death, instead finishing on a jarringly upbeat note.
Brian achieved so much in his tragically short life that, rather than trying to pack everything in, Midas Man would have been better off narrowing its focus.
By Barney Pell Scholes
Midas Man is available to stream on Amazon Prime from Wednesday 30 October. primevideo.com