A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Starring: Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Chris Cooper, Susan Kelechi Watson, Maryann Plunkett, Enrico Colantoni, Wendy Makkena
Directed by: Marielle Heller
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
2019

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A journalist (Matthew Rhys) struggling with family issues reluctantly agrees to interview Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks). He begins to question his cynicism as he connects with the famous children's show host.

Review:

Tim: Tom Hanks continues his run of playing real-life characters in very effective movies. On the one hand, you have to feel amazed at how many of these really good movies he's made, bringing to life the stories of actual people. On the other hand, you wish more of them would have broke into greatness territory. This is another film that works really well, but isn't a great movie.

Interestingly, in this one, he's a supporting actor. He hasn't done that all that often throughout his career. It works well here. This might be labeled as a "Mr. Rogers" movie, but it's more complicated than that. The movie is actually about a journalist who interviews Mr. Rogers. He's the protagonist and Hanks' Rogers is a supporting character. It's an interesting way to approach this movie- a Mr. Rogers movie where he isn't the main protagonist. The way the story unfolds, it makes total sense.

I really enjoyed the story- we get an opportunity to understand the character of Lloyd Vogel, who is based on journalist Tom Junod. He's a man at an interesting crossroads in his life. He's never forgiven his father for abandoning his family. And, he's a new father himself, struggling to come to terms for what that means for him. It's a wonderful inflection point to examine. He is haunted by the past and his father's role in that, and fearful of the future and what it means to become a father himself. At this fragile moment in his life, he meets Fred Rogers. It's fascinating to see this man, trying hard not to crumble, and the influence Rogers has on him. He's cynical, difficult, and skeptical. All things that are directly opposite of Rogers. This is what makes the movie wonderful- seeing these two very different men interact, and what the budding friendship means for them both. This is a cinematic story and it was so entertaining to see these real-life events adapted for the screen (even though they took some liberties with the events, as you'd expect).

In addition to the story, the biggest attraction here is seeing a living American legend, Tom Hanks, playing beloved children's television host, Fred Rogers. This is the most perfect pairing imaginable and an example of when Hollywood just gets it right. Hanks has long been one of the greatest actors in history and this performance here further cements that legacy. He transforms himself into Rogers. The way he talks, the speed at which he talks, his voice- it's remarkable how he steps into Mr. Rogers. It's a mesmerizing performance and the movie gets a boost every time he's on screen. It was a little strange seeing him only in a supporting role- he's so unbelievably good in this role, you wish he had more screen time. Hanks received the movie's only Academy Award nomination- for Best Supporting Actor. He deserved that recognition.

Matthew Rhys was quite good as Vogel. His performance hits all the right notes- he's a cracked, challenged man, but there's still light and goodness in him. He teeters this line between full cynicism and hopefulness. His character undergoes the biggest transformation in the film and he makes this believable. Chris Cooper gave a strong performance as well. It didn't feel like a stretch for him- he's played these kinds of roles before. However, that doesn't mean he isn't effective, and he certainly helps make the movie better. Susan Kelechi Watson was good, but she doesn't get enough screen time to make much of an impression. She gets a few nice scenes, but the story keeps her on the periphery. I wish she had more to do. Outside of these four, there's not much space for anyone in the cast to make a big impression.

I really enjoyed A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. It makes for a unique way to make a movie about Fred Rogers. When you pair this with the equally strong Won't You Be My Neighbor? documentary from last year, these two films showcase how amazing Mr. Rogers was and how his beautiful life influenced and shaped so many others. This is a positive, uplifting, effective movie. It doesn't quite tug the heartstrings enough for me to consider it great, but it's yet another success for Tom Hanks.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Saving Mr. Banks, Forrest Gump, That Thing You Do!