Director
Marielle Heller
(CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?)
Starring
Matthew Rhys, Tom Hanks and Chris Cooper
When seeing the awards season nominations rolling in, I was surprised to see Tom Hanks listed in all the ‘supporting’ actor categories. Given Hanks seemed to be the main protagonist in a film about an American television icon, this left me a little baffled. Also being an Australian unfamiliar with the iconic status of Fred Rogers in the US, going into A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood held no preconceived expectations or notions. As a result, the overall experience was surprisingly refreshing.
Whilst the poster for this film may appear as a biopic on Rogers, this story is anything but. Instead it’s a quiet journey for one journalist named Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) who through interviewing the seemingly perfect Fred Rogers, learns more about himself and how to deal with the volatile relationship that he has with his own father. There is a clear juxtaposition between Vogel and Rogers; the former who deals with his issues by burying them deep until they bubble into acts of violence and the other who believes in calm discussion and finds more imperturbable ways to vent his frustrations. This is an exploration on masculinity and communication, and how two men who couldn’t be more different could be exactly what the other needed in terms of friendship in that point of their lives.
When Tom Hanks was first broached about this film to play Fred Rogers he initially declined. Thinking that it would be a run of the mill feature about a man who for more than 30 years created a unique children’s show (Mister Rogers Neighborhood) that addressed the emotional and social needs of children. But when Marielle Heller was announced as Director, Hanks was again approached with an offer, but this time she made it clear that the main objective of the film was to explore men’s relationships with communication and emotional understanding. This was a much more appealing prospect for Hanks, as films like this are scarce, particularly at a time where there is such a strong focus on the consequences of toxic masculinity. Given the focus of the film, Hanks and the films creators opted against any prosthetics or aids that would make Hanks look more like Rogers. Aside from his hair and eyebrows, little effort was made to have Hanks overly resemble the icon as it wasn’t seen a pertinent aspect of the film. More effort was put into slowed speech patterns and mannerisms, which is a noticeable break away from the Hanks we know and was almost hypnotic at times throughout the film. Matthew Rhys as Vogel (based on real life journalist Tom Junod) was excellent as the repressed, cynical writer embarking on an emotional journey that would transform his life. Chris Cooper as Vogel’s flawed but ailing father was also a real standout here.
A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood is a slow moving, character driven performance piece, but by no means does it feel that way when you’re watching it. Despite having no point of reference before seeing this film, having not grown up with Mister Rogers or his Neighborhood, the journey of this story being told was more than enough to draw me in. The quiet performances and the character exploration were second to none. Hanks might be the guy on the poster, but Rhys was certainly the star. His understated vulnerability was refreshing for its rarity in cinema. All in all, this trip to the cinema was a beautiful day indeed.
4 Stars
Moviedoc 
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