That Thing You Do!

THAT THING YOU DO

Unless you were there. Unless you were of that age, that time and particularly if you were a male and trying to force your grimy little fingers into a "C" chord on a Harmony acoustic guitar that was semi in tune…well, you will not understand the depth that this movie has. This movie and "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" capture something that was so real, so tangible but has slipped so completely away from any succeeding generations grasp that to try and film it's time and moment seems impossible. And yet, Tom Hanks did it. I don't know how he managed to grasp the era and the people so well as I thought he was a little too young for that time period. He nails this every boy's fantasy with wit, wisdom and just a touch of sadness. The cast turns in, a spot on encapsulation of people that will be very familiar to any struggling band member from the period. Tom Hanks himself turns in a solid performance as a man apart of, yet removed from the music itself. Men of his age at that time all actually read the Playboy philosophy espoused by Hugh Hefner and secretly wanted to be as cool as one of the Rat Pack. He did a super job of directing this effort and keeping the frenetic pace. All of this brings us to the music, which for the most part is expertly crafted (and I was surprised to see Hanks wrote some of the music also) to remind us of the era. I enjoyed all the songs for what they are. It is "homage" which is not exactly copying but using the elements to pay tribute to the influences that shaped the music of that era. People who grew up in the 80's or 90's have no conception of what the music was like then. They can hear it, and yes even appreciate it, but they don't understand that it was rarely on TV, it was not the background music for every commercial you heard or saw and radio stations that played it were decidedly looked down upon. It was not woven into the fabric of life like it is now. It was new, it was dangerous and you had to search it out. You had to want it. That's why I so enjoyed this movie. Even with some of it's false steps and it's occasional heavy handedness that would over power the subtleties of real life I found this movie a guilty pleasure that is completely satisfying and an absolute joy to watch.

This is really a great movie, no question. I rarely watch a film that is so skilfully crafted and yet is completely inoffensive to any segment of society. The movie combines comedy (and some parts are definitely funny) with romance in a tender-hearted tale of friendship and growing up. I simply cannot recommend this movie highly enough except to say that this is a film I could watch multiple times. Brilliantly acted by a still maturing cast ensemble, witty dialogue, it's got it all. If you want to see something that with touch you and give you a buzz but you don't want to be assailed by profanity, violence, or sexuality - That Thing You Do! is the movie for you. Another Hanks triumph, not just for his role in the movie but for putting it all together. 8/10

Catching the excitement of a mid-1960s garage band formed by 4 typical all-American young men from Erie, PA, who atypically make it to the "big time" with a hit record.

Hanks succeeds on all levels as Director, Screenwriter, Actor, and Producer, resulting in the official formation of "Playtone" two years later (named after the fictional record label portrayed in the film), that continues to make him some serious "scratch".

'That Thing You Do' is a contagiously likable and fun film to watch, and for baby-boomers a must-see.

👍👍

My guess is that Tom Hanks is a really nice guy. He certainly seems like it when he's interviewed, and since he wrote and directed this movie, and it's really nice, too, that seems to be more evidence.

This is a very small movie. It has no pretensions, but just tells a simple story about a small-town band that makes good. It paints a nostalgic picture of the 60's -- I grew up in a small town during that time, and life wasn't so idyllic in my town -- but it isn't trying for gritty realism. The cast is attractive and more than adequate (some are quite good, including Hanks as the band's manager), and the story is observant enough to be an enjoyable confection. It's very nice family movie (my kids liked it, and so did I).

I remember when I first saw this in the '90s and thinking, "Wow, what a shock: a modern-day movie with no no villains, no nasty people and nary a cuss word." I kept waiting for that stuff, and it never appeared. It also has a nice sentimental ending.

The story is a simple one about a group of average guys who form a band and become one-hit wonders.

Tom Everett Scott, a young Tom Hanks-lookalike, is an appealing lead and Liv Tyler looks very, very pretty in the female lead role. The band in this almost-old-fashioned musical, is good to hear, too. They are a throwback to the old movie musical days of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. Yes, you hear the same song (the movie title) over and over but's a great song which is very catchy. The rest of the music is decent, too.

Speaking of Hanks, he plays the promoter of the group. It's not a huge part but Hanks, as always, is entertaining. The whole film is, and, is refreshing to see.