Based on the 1998 Esquire article, “Can You Say… ‘Hero’?” (Which you can read here https://classic.esquire.com/article/1998/11/1/can-you-say-hero) this film follows a cynical, work-obsessed Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) as he analyses the children’s superstar, Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks).
Directed by Marielle Heller, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood contrasts her previous work of predominantly comedies, namely ‘Diary of a Teenage Girl’. However, I think she aced this. From the acting to how closely she worked with both Tom Hanks and Fred Rogers to proved an extremely accurate exploration of his amazing personality.
I loved this film for many reasons. Perhaps the most prominent was its unique and mirroring style. From the first 3 seconds of the opening, we are greeted with a beautiful miniature town filled with moving trams, parked cars and best of all an exact replica of the opening scene of the original tv show. Although many scenes were dramatised for the silver screen they were each based on the descriptions provided by Tom Junod, the writer of the famous article I previously mentioned.
Another reason why I adored this film was because of its subject matter. Similarly to the original tv show, this movie covered an extreme variety of topics. Including anger and how we deal with it, fear, love, and death. In doing this we, as an audience are forced to resonate with Vogel and are made, on many occasion to sit in silence and think about what Mr Rogers wants us to think. However, it wasn’t the topics that made the film. Rather the handling of them and the tone and pace they each covered. Many a time I found myself putting my own situations in the film, my own family deaths and my own experiences. Interestingly, although I thought about these hard times I never found myself focusing on these for too long, as I was instantly transported back into the film. Almost going on the journey with them.
As for the soundtrack, which can be found anywhere you listen to music, I thought it fits the film perfectly, the music is smooth and almost caring. It is calming but as the subject matter changes the songs become more poetic.
One point that I would like to leave up to discussion is that there is no action. No fights (apart from a single punch) and no real tension in the film. My partner found it somewhat boring, and although he enjoyed the film it spurred a discussion as to how this generation enjoys film, and what we deem to be boring. Does a film have to be tense and exciting for it to be enjoyable, does it need guns and violence for people to be interested and does it need to be this powerful kick of emotions?
I’d love to explore this more and would love to know any films you found to be boring and why?
7/10 Stars
The Film Nerdette