The Tom Hanks Mr. Rogers Movie Now Has A Neighborly Title
Let’s get one thing straight: theTom HanksMr. Rogers movie, where Hanks plays the beloved television host, will always be called “The Tom Hanks Mr. Rogers Movie” in people’s minds. You know, I know it. That said, the moviedoesnow have a real title:A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Learn Beautiful Day in the Neighborhoodbelow, neighbor.
As the recent documentaryWon’t You Be My Neighborconfirmed, Fred Rogers was one-of-a-kind, and it’s doubtful we’ll see anyone like him again. But Tom Hanks is going to do his best by playing the late icon inA Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Hanks certainly projects enough warmth and politeness to fit the role, and the first image released has him looking the part. We’ll just have to see him in action.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood(which was previously going by the titleYou Are My Friend) isn’t a straight biopic of Rogers. Instead, it’s based on the true story of journalist Tom Junod interviewing Rogers for an Esquire profile (you can read the profile, titledCan You Say…Hero?, here). This approach – bringing an outsider into a famous person’s world – has been employed by Hollywood many times, and there’s nothing wrong with that. That said, the film’s official synopsis gives me pause:
The world could certainly use some kindness triumphing over cynicism right about now, but making this the story of saintly Mr. Rogers melting the heart of a cold journalist seems like the wrong approach here, especially since none of that skepticism comes through in Junod’s profile. But it’s still too early to tell – perhaps it’ll all work out well. At the very least, I’m very curious to see how Hanks plays such an iconic figure beloved by many. He has some history in that department, having already played Walt Disney inSaving Mr. Banks. Who knows what adored person Hanks will play next? Maybe someone can make a Tom Hanks biopic some day.
