Actor Spotlight: Tom Hanks
Plus: Check out our thoughts on new releases Knives Out and The Irishman
Tom Hanks as Mister Rogers. Have you ever seen such a perfect pairing of actor and real-life person? In A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (out in theaters now), our most decent and affable celebrity plays pop culture’s most neighborly and compassionate figure. While the film has garnered great reviews (96% on Rotten Tomatoes), make sure you also check out last year’s warm-hearted Mister Rogers documentary, Won’t You Be My Neighbor? We wrote about it here.
In honor of the legendary Tam Honks, Do You Like Apples have three Hanks performances for you to stream. Each of the three showcases a different aspect of what has made him so special over the last 30+ years.
After reading our #HanksTakes, scroll on down to our mini-reviews section where we provide our thoughts on new releases The Irishman and Knives Out.
Billy recommends…
Big (streaming on HBO Now)
“Alright everyone, let’s make a movie about a child who wishes to become an adult. His wish is granted and his child innocence is the reason he becomes successful in the adult world. Then he becomes less successful once he becomes more of an adult.” The production company greenlit what would be called Big and it somehow became a borderline classic and an obvious success.
There is so much to love about Big, but what makes this movie so iconic is how they portray adolescence. There is nothing that is condescending about the portrayal, which is where the prowess of Penny Marshall comes into play. Everything about this child thrust into adulthood is respectful. All of which sets up the humor and sweetness throughout the whole movie. Do You Like Apples has profiled many different actors, but there has not been an actor that is quite like Tom Hanks. The every-man for multiple generations and Big is the first time that paved the path.
Before Big, and even four years after until A League of their Own, Hanks tried to tap into a darker side that isn’t present. It might be a part of his being in everyday life, but it doesn’t seem to be in his acting skills. Director Penny Marshall may have seen this before any of us. Directing a character who has charisma because of the child-like innocence, sweetness, confidence, and even horniness of an adolescent. All of that is wrapped up into an interesting character that is Josh (Tom Hanks).
The main message of this movie is that at any point throughout life there are moments of nostalgia and through that comes insecurities. A wonder of the good ole’ days; There’s a million reasons for me to go home, but there’s only one reason for me to stay. Josh’s good ole’ days have only been a month or so. That is where Big flips that theme on its head. Real life is gradual with forgetfulness, or so it seems. Big accelerates those feelings to make them more powerful. A great movie gives the audience a reason to relate to the characters. By the end of this one there is a longing of sadness and hope. Sadness for the things that have to be left behind, but hope for the things that have yet been experienced.
If you are with family this holiday season, are not able to get back to them, or not seeing them for more severe reasons, Big will warm the heart of any viewer. The sweet nature is not a rare feat for today's cinema, but what is rare is doing it in such a strange story. Using a child’s innocence as a warning not to lose that quality for the current adults is important. Don’t lose the awe of the things around you and maybe, like the Thanksgiving season promotes, appreciativeness and joy will become a more constant thing in your life. Sappy episode over.
Drew recommends…
Philadelphia (streaming on Amazon Prime)
The first of back-to-back Best Actor Oscar wins (Forrest Gump came the following year), Philadelphia had to be a risk back in the early 90s when Hanks agreed to star in this AIDS drama. The potentially tricky subject matter was ultimately handled with grace and sensitivity by director Jonathan Demme and his two leads, Hanks and Denzel Washington. Hanks plays Andrew Beckett, a talented gay laywer that contracts the AIDS virus. After his firm fires him because of this, Beckett hires Joe Miller (Denzel) to represent him as he brings his case to court, even despite Miller’s homophobia.
Philadelphia is known as one of (if not the) first mainstream movies to tackle homosexuality and HIV/AIDS. Seen through 2019 eyes it may not seem that intrepid of a film, but this unconventional (for 1993) story ended up becoming a box office hit after winning a couple of Oscars, including for the Hanks performance. It can be a tough watch at times, particularly as the disease begins to ravage Andrew Beckett’s body, but it’s the performances that give it shine. Denzel was just starting to become DENZEL at that time (Malcolm X was the year before), and this role certainly helped him build a reputation as a must-see actor.
However, Hanks was in the middle of an even more impressive run. Starting with A League of Their Own in 1992, he rattled off a string of great performances in hit movies that lasted arguably all the way through Catch Me If You Can in 2002. That’s ten straight years, with one or two performances a year, without a miss. Hanks was in heat check Steph Curry mode throughout the 90s.
In Philadelphia, Demme’s famous close-ups allow Hanks to do some of his most empathetic work. The opera scene, specifically, is probably where he won his Oscar. With a role this meaty and significant, Hanks was able to show us he was more than just a funny and likable leading man. He could also take on serious, challenging work and make it sing.
You’ve Got Mail (streaming on Amazon Prime)
While Philadelphia proves the serious actorly side of Hanks’s brilliance, You’ve Got Mail shows off his irresistible charm. In his third pairing with Meg Ryan, their chemistry beams in this 1998 romantic comedy by Nora Ephron (Sleepless in Seattle).
While the premise seems wildly dated now (two people involved in an AOL romance are unaware they are business rivals), this is still a brilliant rom-com setup nonetheless. It allows the audience to watch these two characters fall in love online while clashing in person, which Hanks and Ryan are sublime at doing. As Joe Fox, whose family owns the megachain Fox Books that is putting Ryan’s independent bookstore out of business, Hanks gets to play a bit of a jerk, which he has only done occasionally in his career. Of course, Joe Fox turns out to be lovestruck for Ryan’s character, but it’s still fun to see Hanks lean into a prickly persona for a minute. He gets away with it, because, well, he’s Tom Hanks.
Unfortunately, Hanks hasn’t taken many roles like You’ve Got Mail since, which is a shame because he’s so good at it. His ease at playing the endearing everyman that can make you laugh is a wonder. They don’t make ‘em like Hanks anymore.
Recent Release Mini-Reviews
The Irishman (in theaters now and on Netflix)
Drew: The Irishman is a fitting cap to Scorsese’s gangster classics. There are nods throughout to Goodfellas, Mean Streets, and more, but The Irishman is a different beast entirely. It’s quiet, still, and melancholy, an “old man movie” full of regret. As always, De Niro and Pacino are splendid, but it’s Joe Pesci (coming out of retirement) that steals the show. Soft-spoken and even-keeled, you’ve never seen Pesci like this. Sure, the movie may be a bit too long at three and a half hours, but this dramatic epic carries you along with its skilled storytelling and weathered, veteran performances from certified legends. - 4 out of 5 apples
Billy: Marty creates a movie that feels more for him, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci than it is for the obvious. An emotional farewell in the genre that helped them all become other-worldly famous. The 3.5 hours runtime is for sure felt, but every bit is needed for the ending to hit as hard as it does. Marty always creates incredibly flawed, but memorable characters. And never forgives them for their wrongdoing, which is important. The Irishman follows that formula yet again and dare I say may have done it better than any of his other movies. The Irishman is not my favorite Scorsese movie, but it is incredibly effective. Watch it in one sitting or split it up. I think it works both ways. - 4 out of 5 apples
Knives Out (in theaters now)
Drew: It should be punishable by law to spoil this movie, so rest assured, I’m going to be very vague here. Knives Out, written and directed by Rian Johnson (Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Looper), is a clever and stylish whodunnit that was my most purely enjoyable movie experience of the year. Suspenseful and sharp-witted, the cast here is having an absolute BALL, especially Daniel Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis, Christopher Plummer, and (definitely) Chris Evans. I left the theater mystified as to why they don’t make them like this anymore. Please, please, please don’t read anything else about Knives Out until you have delighted in its many fun twists and turns. - 4.5 out of 5 apples
See more reviews on our Letterboxd page
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