Critical Analysis: Tom Hanks Movie

I've been terrible at making these threads lately. This seems like a great place to take it.

 

You can pretty much say that him voicing Woody led to me being a forever fan. If his name is attached to a movie, I'm definitely more likely to a) trust it if it looks off, b) watch it. Definitely one of the few actors my entire family agrees upon and gathers around.

Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump, Castaway, Captain Phillips, Polar Express... you could spend hours writing movies of his worth checking out to me. Even the goofy movies from the 80s and the romcoms from the 90s have a lot of charm.

 

I think it was Bill Simmons who said Hanks is becoming underappreciated because we take for granted just how good he is. He might be right.

Hanks gives one more winning performance in Bridge of Spies. I want this guy acting forever.

 

The Burbs

 

The scene in the Money Pit where he's stuck in the carpet through the ceiling is brilliant.

I also believe that he's the quintessential actor people feel like they really know and like. There aren't a lot of bankable stars who people feel some sort of connection with and, besides the fact that he has such star presence, he never gets in trouble off-camera, and for the most part, makes movies everyone generally enjoys a lot.

What people tend to overlook is his relatability (not a word, but stick with me here). When you see Tom Cruise or Will Smith or Reese Witherspoon or Gwenyth Paltrow off-screen, they are living this extreme Hollywood lifestyle that turns people off. Hanks seems to have more fun as a regular dude with a semi-famous family who happens to be one of the most recognizable human beings, well, ever. He doesn't have flashy cars, books on how to be like him, and he isn't part of a controversial cause or group. I have always enjoyed his work, and while I wouldn't put him on the Mt. Rushmore of "greatest actors ever" (acting ability and star power are two totally different subjects), there's no denying that his name is still a huge draw because people know they won't get fluff or bullshit or anything phony. Not that he hasn't made a dud over his career, but chances are high that if he's in a movie, you'll see it based on nothing else than that if you aren't sure what the movie is about. To me, that's a rarity nowadays. Only a few names in cinema history have been able to carry that clout, being one of the biggest actors ever while still maintaining a low profile in their private lives and remaining a star that isn't a polarizing public figure.

 

Tom Hanks is far more versatile than I think he gets credit for. An actor whose filmography includes strong performances in Big, Forrest Gump, Captain Phillips, Bridge of Spies, Apollo 13, Charlie Wilson's War, Road to Perdition, and Philadelphia could fit in just about whatever you put him in. That being said, I wish his recent filmography was stronger. He still has it, as Captain Phillips and Bridge of Spies show, but he seems pretty content to turn in pretty safe movies (with the notable exception of Cloud Atlas). I'd love to see him in a straight up comedy again, he'd also be delightful in a black comedy, but he just doesn't really seem willing to delve into that kind of stuff lately. Which is fair, and he'll always be dependable and great in whatever he does, but unless he's partnering with Spielberg he's not an actor for whom I'd actively go out of my way for, like Joaquin Phoenix or Brad Pitt, who are actively selective about picking more interesting films or roles.

 

Castaway is still one of my favorite movies, and probably Tom Hanks at his best.

 

The only Hanks film I have seen is That Thing You Do!, which is very light but with a real sense of how to use music to tell the narrative. There have been a lot of films about musical groups that treat the music itself as an afterthought, cutting off its own best feature. It hits a bit of a soft spot for anyone who spent time in high school trying to be musical. Hanks allows scenes to go on a little bit longer than most other directors would, showing the reaction to the conflict in every scene.

Larry Crowne was not received well, and I had no intention of ever seeing it.

 

The scene where the drummer speeds up the song (to the chagrin of the singer) at the talent show is one of my favorite music movie moments.

 

The only thing I love more than his earnest performances is his sense of humor. He's a multi Academy Award winner and will still agree to do sketches...and music videos!

If You See Tom Hanks In A Restaurant, Steal His Glasses And Pretend To Be Drunk

Also, his performance at the end of Captain Phillips was unreal. Probably one of my favorite performances from him.

 

Legend. The final scene of Captain Phillips is my favorite moment of Hanks ever.

 

It came out at a time where mainstream films were trying very hard to be cynical and ironic but then That Thing You Do! was very straightforward and optimistic. It has a very universal quality to it, but it was more important to me when I saw it in high school because I was also in a band and little things like the new instruments they got when the band became famous were things I picked out.

 

I'm a big history nerd, so I absolutely loved Bridge of Spies, and of course his voicework as Woody is iconic as well. I think he's fantastic in romcomsl, seeing as he's so well equipped at playing the "normal guy." Sleepless in Seattle is one of my favorites in the genre and him and Meg Ryan have such great chemistry.

 

Watched Bridge of Spies on a plane and it was hilarious and heartfelt and I wish more people had watched it.

 

I really undervalued him as an actor until Captain Philips. Now I want him to do everything. Get this man a Wes Anderson script.

 

Yeah, he's a legend, and one of the few in that industry who I feel wouldn't totally blow you off if you asked for a handshake and a quick hello.

I'll always love him for "That Thing You Do." That movie is genius on every level. The first dance at my wedding was to "All My Only Dreams." My wife was awesome for indulging my collision of music and movie nerdom.

 

One of my favorite Bridge of Spies scenes is when Hanks goes outside to talk to the cops after his house is shot at. One of the officers tells him something like, "You've got some nerve," and Hanks' surprise seems so genuine it's difficult to believe he's acting. It's little things like that that make me appreciate him as an actor.

 

He would be awesome in a Wes Anderson script

 

Joe Versus the Volcano is brilliant.

 

Brilliant actor, one of my favorites. He elevates great movies, and he makes bad ones at least watchable while he is onscreen.

 

My mom worked in the film industry a long time ago (before she was ever married or I was born). Anyway, she had the opportunity to work with him, and said he was always down-to-earth, friendly, and never acted arrogant or superior.

 

That's so awesome to hear. Great username too, by the way.

 

Just watched The Money Pit last night, what a funny ass movie. The part where the bath tub falls through the floor and he just stands there fucking laughing at it for like a minute straight was so good.

 

Has anyone seen A Hologram For The King yet?