News of the World

Starring: Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel, Tom Astor, Andy Kastelic, Ray McKinnon, Mare Winningham, Elizabeth Marvel, Bill Camp
Directed by: Paul Greengrass
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Western, Action, Drama
2020

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A Civil War veteran (Tom Hanks) who makes his living by reading people the news reluctantly agrees to transport a girl (Helena Zengel) abducted by Kiowa Indians years ago, back to her family.

Review:

Tim: I've been waiting at least a decade for Tom Hanks to make a Western. He's long been my favorite actor and all the greats have made a Western at some point. I know it doesn't actually "matter", but I really wanted to see it happen. So, I was excited to see Hanks re-team with director Paul Greengrass for News of the World. The film is definitely effective, yet another strong effort from Greengrass and Hanks. It's not quite as memorable as Captain Phillips, but it's another success for the greatest actor of all time.

I enjoyed the story (even as I never loved it). It's nothing revolutionary, but it's entertaining. Hanks plays Captain Kidd, a literate former soldier whose life takes an unexpected turn when he stumbles across a young girl. The girl was taken by Indians as a young child and has grown up in their culture for years. She was rescued recently and Kidd takes it upon himself to return her to her kin. It's a straightforward story, but an effective one. It touches on some deeper themes of culture, what it means to undergo a deep culture shift and what happens when you try to go back. This is an intelligent film- it always puts character and drama first, action comes second. There's not a long list of "intellectual Westerns", so it does feel somewhat unique from that standpoint.

As you would expect, Tom Hanks is the biggest draw here. He's such an accomplished actor and he gives his typically strong performance. He makes you care about Captain Kidd. Hanks does so many things well- some big and visible, many so nuanced you almost don't notice. I know I'm biased because I love Hanks so much, but he's the most consistently excellent actor I've ever seen. He wasn't nominated for an Academy Award for his performance here, but he could have been. I do think people have taken him for granted. When you've consistently excellent, you get almost numb to how good someone is. Hanks suffers from that. He should have gotten more acclaim for yet another strong performance.

As much as I liked Hanks here, I struggled some with Helena Zengel's performance. This movie is almost entirely focused on Hanks and Zengel, so it was critical for her to be strong. I thought it was a good performance, but something never quite connected with me. She played the part well enough- you believe that she was outside of the white civilization for many years and is struggling to transition back to it. However, I never quite cared about her character like I needed to. That disconnect emotionally hurts the movie. You want to see this girl be okay, but there's not enough emotional depth or connection to her character. Hanks interacts with her effectively, but I think the movie would have been better with a stronger actress. I recognize people will disagree with my assessment, but that's what I think.

The rest of the cast have very small roles. It was fun seeing Ray McKinnon and Mare Winningham, but they only show up for a scene or two. Elizabeth Marvel gave a strong supporting performance and I very much wish she had more to do. Bill Camp was good, as usual. None of these actors get to make a very big impact on the film, though- it's almost exclusively focused on Hanks and Zengel.

While I really enjoyed the movie, I wouldn't say this film was great. There's not a deep enough emotional connection with the characters. The focus on drama was the right one, but the movie needed a bit more momentum and excitement. The big action scene the film throws at us- Hanks and Zengel verses three men- is outstanding. It's a terrific example of how an older actor can still deliver great action. We needed more of that. As it is, the movie isn't overly long, but the replay value is pretty low. It's always effective, but it never has a truly standout sequence or moment that pushes the film towards greatness.

While not great, I really did enjoy News of the World. It's another strong collaboration between Paul Greengrass and Hanks. Greengrass directs a wonderfully competent film. The cinematography is strong, the music supports the story and it features effective performances. It's a really good movie that has a few inspiring moments. It's the kind of film that makes you wish they made more movies like this. The film was nominated for 5 Academy Awards, and it's disappointing it didn't win any (although not egregious). This is certainly an effective movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Captain Phillips, Greyhound