6. Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks) - Love & Mercy
So often in biopics the woman of the story cedes centre stage to the genius man of the story. Not so in Love & Mercy, and while Bill Pohlands film does indeed feature a genius (The Beach Boys Brian Wilson), it remains that the woman of the picture, Elizabeth Banks Melinda Ledbetter, is just as influential as Wilson, perhaps more so when you consider that the character helps save the mentally ill Wilson from the clutches of Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti), the man he suffered under as part of a controversial 24-hour therapy technique for years. A career-best performance from Banks (always an underrated actress in my opinion) sees her Melinda grow in confidence, initially wary of getting in-between Brian and Landy but ultimately compelled to do so. A lesser film wouldve used Melinda as an inspiration to Brian, something to get out of bed and fight for (Wilson, in a bout of depression, famously spent three years in bed), and while there are of course elements of Ledbetter sparking something in him, Love & Mercy is more about Melindas fight for Brian. She sees that he's in trouble and vows to help him; not because hes rich, not because hes a Beach Boy, but because she loves him; loves him in a pure way thats rarely seen in movies anymore.