A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD REVIEW
Starring: Matthew Rhys and Tom Hanks
Directed by: Marielle Heller (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
Rated: PG
Runtime: 1 hour 48 minutes
Last year’s best documentary was inexplicably NOT nominated for an Oscar.The story of Mr. Rogers life “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” was a riveting tale of the life of a folk hero.It would be silly to make a second biopic in as many years.But when Tom Hanks is willing to don the red sweater and play Mr. Rogers you don’t stop production.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is NOT the story of Mr. Rogers life as a seminary student turned TV star.It is the story of a magazine author, Lloyd Vogel, who is tasked with writing a puff piece on Mr. Rogers.Feeling the task is beneath him, he tries to dig up dirt on Rogers.Poking and prodding him in separate interviews looking for any negative angle he can find.Except…there isn’t one.Which actually frustrates him more.
Lloyd Vogel is a fictional character, but he is based on a real magazine writer.Tom Junod wrote a piece on Rogers for a 1998 issue of Esquire.He wrote of hanging out with the TV star and the intricate schedule of his day to day life and the fascinating occurrences and fan interactions he’s bombarded with.All of those reminded him of a stuffed animal he grew up.Anything else in the movie is fictionalized.
But the fictionalized drama is pretty decent.Star of the hit TV series, The Americans, Matthew Rhys stars as the magazine writer.Note the wording, he’s the star of this picture.Tom Hanks is VERY MUCH a supporting player in this movie.He comes and he goes.Sadly, he goes far too often for this film to achieve greatness.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is very sweet, it’s intentions are good.But sadly the wattage of Matthew Rhys is dim compared to Tom Hanks, even Hanks might have trouble outshining Mr. Rogers in a head-to-head poll.Rhys’s character is a jerk, a rotten man, that you very easily despise.Until the final act of the movie.It’s too little too late as you’re left wondering for two acts where the heck Tom Hanks is.He shows up sporadically, but when he’s gone, you’re forced to watch Matthew Rhys’s character be a jerk.
Tom Hanks is, of course, stellar when he’s on screen.You’re just left wanting more.More positive interactions with children, more life advice, more of him sticking it to the writer who wants to dig up dirt in a place that has no dirt.
Too often we look to tear down our heroes for no other reason than to tear them down.Oftentimes, at least to me, the better story is that a person who is widely admired is as good as advertised.A Beautful Day in the Neighborhood is very uplifting, it ultimately has a positive message, you feel good watching it.But I left the theater feeling a little jipped.I thought I was getting Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers.Instead I got a movie of family squabbling aided by Mr. Rogers.It doesn’t ruin the movie by any means, but it will feel like a switcheroo to a lot of people.
On a scale of “See It/Stream It/Skip It” – See It – It’s a movie with a positive message, it isn’t full of sex, swears, and violence.They don’t make a lot of movies like this anymore.
If you liked Forrest Gump, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, or Sully you might enjoy A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
3.5 out of 5 stars for A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.See it for Tom Hanks alone, I liked the harmonious nature of the film, but it does feel a bit like false advertising for its lack of Mr. Rogers.