A One Mann’s Movies review of “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” (2019).
Bob the Movie Man’s Rating:
Certification:
US: PG. UK: PG.
I can comfortably rave about some films, like I have recently for “Le Mans 66” and “Knives Out“. And I am equally comfortable rubbishing films I seriously found lacking, as I did with (I.M.H.O.) the atrociously unfunny “Last Christmas“. Where I tend to struggle is with movies that fill that middle ground: perfectly good movies, but ones which I struggled to fully engage with. Tom Hanks‘ new movie – “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” – is one such film. But some I suspect will truly LOVE its gentle and feel-good nature.
A shoe-in for an Oscar nomination? We will see. (Source: Sony Pictures).
Who WAS Fred Rogers?
Based on a true story this movie very quickly makes you realise that Fred Rogers, who died in 2003, was an American legend. This is supported by the GLOWING reviews on IMDB by US viewers. Rogers was a children’s TV presenter that used puppets and song to help children work through their fears and psychological issues. I suspect, like me, most Brits would say “WHO?” (Just as if a 60’s born Brit like me saying “Let’s look through the arched window” will similarly get a “WHAT?” from nearly all Americans!)
The real Mister Rogers. (Source: Sony Pictures).
Here the story revolves not around Fred (Tom Hanks) helping a child with issues, but with Fred’s fixation with ‘Esquire’ journo Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys), who is fighting his own demons of anger, resentment and pain. For Lloyd is struggling not only with his feelings about fatherhood, with the normal strains that is placing on the relationship with wife and mother Andrea (Susan Kelechi Watson), but also with the reemergence on the scene of his estranged and hard-drinking father Jerry (Chris Cooper).
Welcome back to Marwen.
The movie starts (and continues) with model sets reminiscent of the brilliantly barmy “Welcome to Marwen” and (the rather more subtle) “Game Night“. Fun is had with matchbox-car freeways and planes flying off and clunking down on model runways.
Matthew Rhys in Marwen-mode. (Source: Sony Pictures).
We join Mr Rogers on set filming his series: and the movie sloooooows to match Rogers’ leisurely pace. This was a movie I went into completely blind (which is unusual for me): I knew precisely zip about it. No knowledge of Rogers. No knowledge of the story. No sight of the trailer. Nothing. So these opening scenes were a real “WTF” moment as my brain struggled to work out what the story was all about.
Fear Not!
There was undeniably something creepy about seeing the saintly Fred Rogers engaging with sick and vulnerable children. And I realised just what damage the likes of the convicted-paedophiles Jimmy Saville, Stuart Hall and Rolf Harris have done to my suspicions against all such entertainers. I feared – without any background knowledge on Rogers – that the story would take a darker turn. But no! That’s not the story….
Story within the story.
For as mentioned earlier, this is the story of Lloyd. And it’s a relatively simple and linear story of familial stress that we’ve seen in movies throughout the decades. Whether you will buy into this story-within-the-story, or not, will flavour your overall enjoyment of the film.
The stresses of parenthood not immediately evident here. Matthew Rhys as Lloyd and Susan Kelechi Watson as Andrea. (Source: Sony Pictures).
Many who are into analysis and ‘talking treatments’ will – I think – appreciate the script. But I personally didn’t really warm to any of the players – other than Rogers – so this was a negative for me. And I found the pace so slow that I ended up a bit fidgety and bored moving into the second reel of the film. Two women got up and walked out at that point – – it was clearly not for them (this was a Cineworld “Unlimited” pre-release screening).
The third reel rather pulled it together again and established an “It’s a Wonderful Life” style of feelgood that I warmed to much more.
Hanks up for an Oscar nomination?
This is a movie I predict the Academy will love. And everyone loves Hanks already. Read the tea leaves. It’s a brilliant performance from Hanks in its stillness and quietness. Never more so than in one particular scene….
This is the follow-up movie from Marielle Heller to the impressive “Can You Ever Forgive Me?“. And this particular scene – let’s call it the “Anti-When-Harry-Met-Sally” moment – is a massively brave and striking piece of cinema.
It’s truly extraordinary and worth the price of a ticket alone.
Hanks and hypnotic friend. (Source: Sony Pictures).
In summary.
I enjoyed this movie, primarily in watching the master Hanks at work. The overall pacing for me though was somewhat off. But I can’t be overly critical of such a warm-hearted movie. I predict you will see this and go home with a big dose of the ‘warm-fuzzies’.
Trailer:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VLEPhfEN2M.
