Saving Mr. Rogers.
109 Mins. Starring: Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Susan Kelechi Watson & Chris Cooper. Director: Marielle Heller.
It's a beautiful day for a beautiful mind. Won't you be my neighbor? We've become socially distant all of a sudden...and with good reason. The shoe thrown from one hand to another so light and playfully is on the other foot now. Quarantining to stay safe at home and save the lives of the ones we care about and pass six feet in the street. Back in November when the Esquire article inspired 'A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood' came out in the United States last fall just in time for the Christmas holiday festive feels it gives you warm by the fire, Taffy Brodesser-Akner wrote a beautiful article for the New York Times entitled, 'This Tom Hanks Article Will Make You Feel Less Bad'. And at the time it did. Compiled of a Tao of Tom like stories about Hollywood's Hanks, like the time he escorted a father and bride to the alter in Rome, whilst filming 'Angels and Demons'. Or when he hawked selfies in the street to help Girl Scouts sell cookies...and of course he brought a box of two, too. These anecdotes were designed to make you feel better over those last few "miserable months" for the Presidential Medal Of Freedom recipient who is actually related to Abraham Lincoln...honest. Who would have thought that in four short months later of an unhappy New Year of Kobe Bryant's tragic helicopter crash death with his daughter GiGi and their friends and family and the COVID-19 plant pandemic panic we would be living in today's times? A time were Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson had coronavirus. What sort of messed up mess is that? Tom Hanks has coronavirus. Woody. Buzz's buddy. 'Cast Away' and stranded with Wilson again. The nicest man in the world had the world's deadliest virus whilst the world's worst is boasting that he's number one on Facebook whilst thousands are dying in a country with now outside Italy the worst cases in the world. Well since almost a month ago after he and the NBA announced cases everyone from Prince Charles to Boris Johnson and Idris Elba and thousands upon thousands of people just as important all around the world. For something we have never seen before in our time and the worst thing to ever collectively happen to us that will hopefully bring us closer together in the aftermath even though we are at a closed door, arms length right now. Something we didn't take seriously until Tom tweeted he had it. We'd say the 'Saving Private Ryan', 'Bridge Of Spies', 'Apollo 13', 'Captain Phillips' and 'Sully' has just saved the world again, but although he's helped raise awareness, we know the real heroes live outside Hollywood now and in the hospitals that take care of us like they always have been.
Neighborhood watch this. In a time in were we need a beautiful day of escapism from our homes...figuratively...not literally people...sorry! We need to go back to the golden era of Hollywood for our movie nights that out now on repeat, not the bronze age of America lead by the orangeman who thinks he's making it great, but is all too late. Didn't he know it was Obama who brought change? We need him. Not some trumped up businessman that needs to get fired instead of grabbing...well you know, this is a family movie. Let's leave that where it is. But in a cynical world starved of hope and needing the help of something wholesome, who better to play the soft spoken and mild mannered, child's entertainer and everyman hero of the people Mr. Rogers, than Tom Hanks? In maestro Marielle Heller's year later follow up to Melissa McCarthy's 'Can You Ever Forgive Me' that gave Richard E. Grant his very first Oscar nomination, based on Tom Junod's (someone called Tom writing an article about someone who would eventually be played by someone called Tom...now how special is that?) 1998 Esquire piece 'Can You Say...Hero' based on Fred Rogers (the man with the dressed down original GQ (sorry wrong magazine) cardigan and sneaker drip) and how meeting him helped Tom forgive his father...and himself. Heller's direction like Hanks is Hollywood hallmark as Tom adds one more to the testimony of his formidable filmography across the generations that even 'The Irishman' of Robert De Niro can't touch...and we all know how this focker redefined himself strategically, successfully and hilariously with 'Meet The Parents'. But Hanks for the memories. From the 'Big' curly haired FAO Schwarz piano playing with your feet, 'Joe Versus the Volcano' explosive, 'Turner and Hooch' slobbering, 'Money Pit', 'Splash', 80's man-child salad days from 'The 'Burbs'. To the golden era of everything entertainment he made his own in the 90's where he really was in a 'League Of His Own' like there's no crying in baseball...or quarantine. Winning Oscars for 'Philadelphia' going toe-to-toe with fellow decade dominant Denzel. Winning Oscars for 'Forrest Gump' going toe-to-toe with himself, back-to-back. He was also "A TOY"!!! Before 'The Green Mile' lead him to writing his name on the foot of the new millennium with movies like 'Road To Perdition', 'Catch Me If You Can' (alongside Leo. IN THE SAME YEAR!!). And we all know his 'Post' dramatic career alongside the legacy of fellow legendary likes like Meryl Streep as a saviour like the submarine drama 'Greyhound' (no its not about coaches Peter Pan) that's about to submerge soon and another movie about some guy named, 'Elvis'. And no he's not playing Presley. But this 'Hologram For A...' actor is still King. Get well soon Tom and Rita. We love you!
Cityscapes crafted 'Welcome To Marwen' style like the toy sets of 'Mister Rogers Neighborhood' and traditional typography make this movie magic come to life like the most endearing puppets and the awe that was inspired in childhoods throughout America through Captain Rogers reign. As 'Phillips' actor Hanks embodies this on a New York subway he takes to work everyday as children and police alike unite in song which rolls along in a carriage of chorus and clapping from the man himself. Hanks has always been Hanks and brought his everyman everyday to each of his roles. So much so that unless they were 'Larry Crowne' in the title, you'd often forget the name and just see it as Tom. For example, name his character in 'Saving Private Ryan'...exactly (marks for the movie buffs though). Although he gave every part and character his...and more importantly their all. And even though it feels like we say this for every one of his movies (need any more signs of a G.O.A.T. actor?), this is one of his best yet in a filmography of about 20 or 30 of the greatest of our generation your favourite actor wish he had (if Hanks only had five of these. Think about it. Choose any. We'll wait. We've already listed them) he'd still be the nicest and the best ever to do it. But the man whose played everyone from Walt Disney ('Saving Mr. Banks') to the pilot who landed a plane ON the Hudson has never embodied anyone in his Academy career than he has the cadence and countenance of Rogers as he holds his somber and sweet stage of this precious soul. Like playing all the lowest keys on the piano at the same time. BONG! Showing that there's more behind that gentle smile that meets the warmth of his eyes. As he fourth wall breaks new ground in a diner looking at ours and starring into our souls for his iconic imagery. He deserved more than his 'Best Supporting Actor' Oscar nomination. Give him the lifetime achievement award already. But just like so much more goes behind the doors to the set of Rogers neighborhood, there's more support here for the Academy actor. The main actor of this movie is the journalist of this journal. And Matthew Rhys after the papers of 'The Post' reunites with Hanks and gives his all to a man in fine print that goes from trying to dig dirt (like some fools tried to do the exact same to the man playing him) on the nicest man in showbusiness (I've never understood our growing need to bastardize everyone and everything with the slightest ounce of good...and I never want to), to rewriting the story of his own life when he realized he was as squeaky as a whistle. And then there's 'This Is Us' T.V. to big-screen star Susan Kelechi Watson giving her everything to this, him and her family in the role which will make he in cinemas for time to come when we all come back after corona. And how about veteran great 'American Beauty' actor Chris Cooper and a. Bill Murray and Scarlett's Charlotte, 'Lost In Translation' moment whispered in his ear that's just between him and Mr. Rogers? Who right now with this and 'Little Woman' joins co-star Laura Dern and the 'Marriage Story' of Scarlett Johansson as another amazing actor doubling up with the Academy Oscars. Put this one in the canon with the rest of the classics in one of the greatest year of cinema before the curtains closed. Sure some may say its corny, but never contrived. And sometimes corny just shows us the sentiment we really hold close...even if we're too embarrassed to admit it. Like you I like it just the way it is. Like its simple, but sweetest message we should take symbolism from. We should be thankful for this Thanksgiving, festive feeling movie home on Sony demand like it was the holidays right now. Christmas may be as gone as the pine needles from our carpet, picking up the pieces from our toughest New Year yet. And this is far from a resolution, but this relevatory movie may just be what we all need for at least an hour or two right now. Now Esquire, 'Can You Say...Hero'? Because here's one, played by one, for a world that needs one right now. So one day we can knock on each others doors once more and say, "hello neighbor". It's so good to see you again. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Saving Mr. Banks', 'Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close', 'Green Book'.
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