It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood - Review Thread

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We're getting a Barney movie. This is a call to arms to form the PBS Cinematic Universe.

A Bob Ross biopic exclusively on his military service with a title card at the end talking about his art career.

Trends or topics that are sort of en vogue that Hollywood doubles down on until audiences are sick of them altogether is nothing new, but it is a bit interesting that Fred Rogers, the famous children's television host, can be lumped in with that notion. Last year we were given Won't You Be My Neighbor, which was a documentary focusing on Rogers' life and the immense impact that his low-budget show had on American children and American culture in general. It was very well received and did well at the box office, which made it sort of puzzling that it was completely ignored at Oscar time when I thought it was a shoe-in to be nominated at the least. That film was certainly of the overarching variety, telling Rogers' story from beginning to end and serving as a sort of well composed Wikipedia coverage of his legacy. So it certainly was a bit of a surprise to me that we'd have another Mr. Rogers film this year, only this time in the form of a narrative with A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Mr. Rogers getting awards season treatment from Hollywood two years in a row, who would've thought that? Well we may very well get another in the near future, because A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood serves as a solid companion piece to the documentary that's a simple yet effective glimpse into the direct impact Fred Rogers had on his most unlikely audience: a cynical adult.

Thankfully, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood does not attempt to be a narrative version of Won't You Be My Neighbor, but rather focuses on one event near the end of Mr. Rogers' timeline, and one that surprisingly has little to directly do with him at all. Rather, the true protagonist of the film is actually journalist Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) who is assigned to write a brief puff piece about Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks) and how he's an American hero. Lloyd sees the assignment as beneath him, as he's an investigative journalist with a reputation for harshly critiquing his subjects, but all the same says goodbye to his wife Andrea (Susan Kelechi Watson) and their infant son and travels to Pittsburgh to meet the man himself. When Lloyd reaches the set, he observes Fred deep in conversation with a sick child, displaying his signature patience and humility, and then proceeds with the show. During a break the interview begins, but it quickly turns into Mr. Rogers interviewing Lloyd, inquiring about the facial bruises he bears resulting from a physical altercation with his estranged father (Chris Cooper) and delving into what makes Lloyd the angry, cynical man he is. What follows is not so much an insight into who Mr. Rogers was, but rather how his genuine affection for people helps to heal Lloyd and perhaps repair his relationship with his father, who is clearly the cause for Lloyd's state.

While the events in the film certainly play out how you would expect them to, there's always something to be said about deft handling by a director even while basking in narrative comfortability. Marielle Heller, who has been acclaimed for her prior two films The Diary of a Teenage Girl and Can You Ever Forgive Me?, handles the material with the right amount of charm and confidence to play the lighthearted nature of the film just right while balancing the tonal shifts of Lloyd's personal struggles. Of course where the film's true strength lies is in Tom Hanks' masterful portrayal of Fred Rogers. Hanks is spot-on, from his articulated and patient mannerisms to his gentle way of speaking that fully encapsulates the late television star. We always except Hanks to be fantastic in every film he's in, but this will undoubtedly go down as one of his finest performances. His representation never borders on caricature or indicating but rather is an older actor at the peak of confidence in his craft, fitting since he's playing Mr. Rogers who at the time was in the very same mindset. The performances all around are excellent, namely Chris Cooper as Lloyd's estranged father, but the film certainly isn't operating at its most compelling when Hanks isn't onscreen. You wouldn't think that Mr. Rogers would be the supporting character in a film marketed as being about him, but that's certainly the case with A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. This is Lloyd Vogel's story, not Fred Rogers', and while Lloyd's personal baggage is one ripe with drama and intrigue, he's not Fred Rogers, and the movie as a result only can reach so high.

Heller also displays some very nice touches throughout the film, including the wonderful use of the diorama models to serve as scene transitions from location to location. It's clever while also working as an intrinsic part of Mr. Rogers' world that worked very well, though the one scene that really doesn't work at all is one where Heller also steps away from the realism most of the film embodies where Lloyd falls into a dream sequence. It was completely out of place and added nothing new to the story and is the only glaring example of a scene that should have ended up on the cutting room floor. Other than these elements though, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is a film that succeeds in leaning on the mature handling of its subject matter and of course the abilities of the talented cast, namely Hanks as Mr. Rogers in what is sure to be an Oscar nominated performance. This isn't a film that will shatter any notions of the legacy of Mr. Rogers, nor does it serve as a true examination of who he was and how he essentially functioned as this noble figure in American culture. It's a simple film told with expert handling that won't surprise its viewers in how it ends up, but will satisfy anyone who can enjoy a good story with a good message behind it. And when a film is as well done as A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is, well that's just fine.

8/10 

And Ghost Writer.