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A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Review


Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood focuses on a journalist named Lloyd Vogel, played by Matthew Rhys, whose career is going great, but his personal life isn’t so much, particularly his relationship with his father Jerry, played by Chris Cooper. He’s assigned to write an article for his paper on TV icon Mr. Rogers, as part of a larger piece on heroes. The callous Lloyd meets Rogers, played by Tom Hanks, and thinks his nice-guy demeanor is just an act. Though when Rogers repeatedly calls Lloyd back after the initial interview to continue chatting with him, Lloyd’s personality begins to shift and his life changed for the better.


This was one of my most anticipated movies of the year, and for one reason alone, that being Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers. If there was one piece of casting that couldn’t seem any more perfect, this was it. Hanks is always known for playing “nice guy” roles and is an American icon himself, as is Mr. Rogers. So before even seeing one bit of footage, it was almost guaranteed that Hanks would have no issue pulling off capturing Rogers’ tender personality.


And sure enough, that proved to be exactly the case. Hanks was born to play this role, and is without a doubt the greatest part of this movie. He doesn’t so much do a spot on Mr. Rogers impression - Hanks retains his deep voice, as opposed to Rogers’ higher-pitched vocals - but he manages to capture the exact tone and speech pattern in which Rogers would actually deliver any sort of dialogue in real life.


Because of this, Hanks manages to keep the movie feeling consistently sweet and always uplifting. Rogers was a man who radiated positivity all his life, and was able to superbly hide when he was feeling frustrated, and Hanks captures that same energy here. Whenever something troubling or concerning would happen, seeing Hanks react with such legitimate concern and always trying to find a solution was often moving. And at times, it was even funny, too, especially seeing him remain so calm whenever Lloyd would go on some sort of rant that was meant to just blow off some steam.


The film is shot incredibly well, thanks to some wonderful direction from Marielle Heller, who is also known for Can You Ever Forgive Me and Diary of a Teenage Girl. The film uses a unique framing device, presenting it as if it was an extended episode of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, with the introductory scene being Hanks singing the iconic theme song. Doing so gives this film an extra feel of warmth that’s almost guaranteed to make audiences smile.


It even captures the aspect ratio in which the show was recorded, making it appear like the audience is watching a public access television show. For the most part, Heller keeps it relatively simple, but still looking beautiful, and it gives this film a sense of intimacy, as if Hanks and the rest of the actors are right there with the viewer. Though it’s worth noting there are a few interesting shots that make their way into the film, particularly a trippy dream sequence that feels like it’s almost too out-there to be in this film, but is still one of the most entertaining sequences.


While Hanks as Rogers is at the forefront of all the marketing for this film, this is actually less his movie and more so a film about the effect Mr. Rogers had on others. Rhys’ Lloyd is really the main character of this film, and outside the framing scenes, this is otherwise all told through his perspective. The film showcases just how someone as cynical, and even at times uncaring, as he is can be transformed through the power of just listening to Mr. Rogers speak for a bit.


Though that does prove to be the film’s only major flaw. Matthew Rhys does a great job with the material, and seeing his subtle transformation over the course of the film is actually really heartwarming, especially as his arc centers around themes of the importance of family that can be something all can relate to. Though he does spend a good chunk of the movie as someone who’s hard to really like. While the point of the movie is that he’s an originally unlikable guy, he can be a bit grating at times. He’s seen actively picking fights with others and disregarding how others feel. And considering it’s a movie told through his perspective, at first, it’s difficult to really get invested in what happens to him next. Though over time, as expected, he is easier to deal with.


A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is a wonderful, heartwarming movie that is really the nice boost of positivity audiences can all use in this day and age. It showcases the effect that one man could have on countless individuals, and shows how he can transform some of the coldest of souls. Led by a stellar performance from Tom Hanks, who couldn’t be any more suited for the role, this is a sweet, funny, uplifting film that will without a doubt put a smile on one’s face, and will be a joy to watch for years to come.


Recommendation: Watch It


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