Following on from the recent success of documentaries about “The Beatles”, “Bon Jovi”, “Olivia Rodrigo” and “Bono”, the latest film to take a look back at one of the most popular bands ever, “The Beach Boys” has now arrived on Disney+.

This documentary goes right back to the origins of the group, explaining how the group came together, about the Wilson brothers childhood and how they got started in the business. Before charting their rise to fame as they sold the idea of the California dream to the world.

We get to hear new interviews with some of the members of the band, along with other legends in the business, plus the film features lots of never-before-seen footage of the band in action. Through a mix of new and old interviews, the story of this iconic band is slowly revealed.

One interesting thing from this documentary is how it deals with some more sensitive topics, including drug use, abuse and even a connection to the serial killer, Charles Manson. It doesn’t hold back on explaining some of the drawbacks to becoming one of the biggest bands on the planet, how their rivalry with “The Beatles” forced them to be better and ultimately learn about how the band drifted away from relevancy during the seventies, as they struggled to find a new voice for a new generation. But we also get to see them redeemed as new generations soon begin to discover their music, and the remaining members of the group come back together after many years of legal and personal issues.

I found the film to be very interesting, as I was a kid who discovered “The Beach Boys” in the late 1980s, I certainly fall into the category of a later generation of fans. My Dad had a greatest hits tape of the band and I used to play it constantly over and over on my little portable boom box! I also felt much more connected to the band as we used to go to the beach multiple times a week while my Dad trained new and existing lifeguards. That beach lifestyle wasn’t a dream for me at the time, so the music has always been much more relatable.

And that’s what I think made this documentary so much more interesting for me. I know so many of “The Beach Boys” songs, almost word for word, but I realised I knew nothing about the band themselves. So, I was intrigued by learning more about how they came together, their rise to fame, and the struggles they faced.

One of the most interesting aspects of the film I found fascinating was how Brian Wilson basically quit touring with the band to focus on creating new music as he struggled with touring and performing. But what was so shocking was how the band kept touring and selling out venues for years, which isn’t something a band could do nowadays, especially for a frontman. It was a different era for sure, as fans had a lot less access to information than we do nowadays.

Whenever I watch an official documentary, I’m always a little wary of how it can quickly become a polished promotional piece that skims over anything negative to show only the best bits. But I do think “The Beach Boys” covers these aspects very well, especially with the band falling out of favour in the seventies as their act just didn’t work anymore.

Overall: If you are a fan of “The Beach Boys” or want to learn a little more about this fantastic band, then I’d easily recommend it. I found it very interesting, and the history lesson about the band was certainly entertaining. Plus, it features lots of their classic songs and is generally a very polished documentary that nicely mixes lots of old footage together while giving you an easy-to-follow timeline of the band’s career.

Rating – 4 Out Of 5

“The Beach Boys” is out now on Disney+ around the world.

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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