It is rare when you find a perfect casting. When an actor and a character go hand in hand so perfectly that you could not imagine anyone else in that role. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark or Hugh Jackman as Logan are a couple examples. Who more perfect to play Fred Rogers than Tom Hanks? The answer is nobody and this casting is exactly what we are getting. Now will it be executed well and not drop the ball? You bet it will. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood completely subverted my expectations by taking what I thought I was going to get, throwing it out the window, and giving me something better I never knew I wanted.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is not the biopic about Fred Rogers you might be expecting. Instead it is about a journalist named Tom Junod who is changed to Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) for the story, and the unexpected friendship he forms with Mr. Rogers when he is assigned to do a story on him. Vogel is looked down upon by most in the public eye for his lashing out towards those he interviews in his pieces. When an article about heroes is put on his plate, the only person who will talk to him is Mr. Rogers. While going through a difficult time in his life with a neglecting father trying to get back into the picture and a newborn child at home, he finds purpose in everything through his interactions with Mr. Rogers. We all know who Mr. Rogers is. Considered to be one of the most honest and nicest individuals to ever walk this Earth who used his time to not bask in glory but to teach children life lessons. When someone comes into contact with him who has a completely different worldview, you can imagine the dichotomy it develops into.
The biggest piece of legacy Mr. Rogers left behind was his teachings. Little life lessons he would speak about in every episode of his show. What A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood shows is that those teachings and that earnestness were not just for in front of the camera, he was the same off screen as well. There is a great moment where Vogel is interviewing Rogers and asks him how he is outside of his character to which Rogers responds with “what character?”. Through Vogel and Rogers multiple moments together in this film, you can see how just a genuine man can influence someone to see the world in a new perspective. Director Marielle Heller does an excellent job at pacing this film slow enough for us to grasp onto everything she is displaying and allowing heavy moments to just sit with is. She wants the audience to think about what is happening as it is wrapping up and be apart of the film. Another moment in the film sees Rogers call for a moment of silence and a solid minute goes by with no sounds at all. All we see is Mr. Rogers looking at Vogel and then at us, the audience. These are powerful decisions by Heller that propel this film to the next level.
We started out by pointing out how perfect the casting of Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers was and he certainly does not disappoint. Hanks has always been one of the greatest actors ever, but it has been nearly 20 years since his last Oscar nomination. This film is his best onscreen performance since Cast Away, not counting his voice work in the Toy Story franchise and I believe will break that streak. He is phenomenal and disappears into the character of Rogers. He has the looks, the talk, and the expressions locked down but most of all, he brings that warm touch that makes you feel comfortable that very few can bring. While he is terrific, no performance in this film is less than excellent. Matthew Rhys is a powerhouse as this damaged journalist. He is the lead of the film and it never stumbles the moments Hanks isn’t onscreen supporting him. Special acknowledgements should also go out to Chris Cooper and Susan Kelechi Watson as Vogel’s father and wife. They have many quick scenes throughout, but you can see their performances progressively get bigger with each passing moment.
Last year when the documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor? came out, the Mr. Rogers excitement was at a high because of how great it was. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood works so well back to back with that documentary. This is a warm and tender film that will have you emotional but also happy. It is about seeing the good in everyone and being the best person you can be every single day. Isn’t that something we need in these tough times?
The Verdict