Did you know that this was Tom
Hanks’ directorial debut?
That Thing You Do! tells the story of an aspiring
group of musicians from 1964 Erie, Pennsylvania that are looking to make an
impact on the local music scene, much the same way the four lads from Liverpool
were doing; when fate intervenes in the way of the drummer breaking his arm
forcing the band to recruit local drummer Guy Patterson (Tom Everett Scott) to
fill in. Guy changes the tempo to one of their songs, making it more upbeat and
sending the Oneders (sometimes pronounced as O’neders) on the whirlwind
adventure of instant notoriety. The Wonders (the changed name) take their
breakout single to their newly found fans, but can the band keep it together
long enough to not become the “One hit Wonders”?
Try to stay with me on this but do you know when you have
dinner some nights and it is really satisfying and worth making and then other
nights it is just dinner, not great but not bad either? That was my take away
with this movie. I enjoyed the 60s setting and the music was fun but it’s not
one I will watch over and over again. Tom Hanks is a favorite actor of mine and
as usual his charisma and screen presence was great. The cast is quite good but
I do have a standout favorite in Steve Zahn who is a band member in the Wonders
and is just a happy go lucky jokester who adds much needed comic relief.
Sometimes I am just looking for a movie that isn’t too deep, isn’t going to make
me cry or lose my mind trying to follow the plot kind of movie. That Thing
You Do! meets that requirement by just being something nice to watch!
Motherly Advice: With a PG rating I chose to watch with my
filters set to Medium. I would recommend watching with filters set to “Most
Filtering” instead because of the language and blasphemy that remained. A
steamier kissing is filtered but a couple of kisses will still be seen but no
need to worry they don’t go too far. The band members are on set of a movie
which involves a beach scene so girls and guys a plenty are in bikinis and
swimwear. But the provocative clothing line is actually pushed by Rita Wilson
who plays a waitress in a bar and just barely gets her chest into her dress
revealing oodles of cleavage. Drinking is consumed by the band leading to a
hangover for one of them. Appropriate for ages 10 and up.
Hannah – I still can’t get the
song out of my head, luckily I liked it!
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