Well guys, sorry that I didn’t get to reviewing this movie sooner. It’s just that I had been on vacation for this past week, and I wanted to go ahead and spend time doing that, you know? However, to make up for that, today we review another film, which this one happens to be based on a true story. Not only that, but this particular event centers around one of the most iconic kid’s shows hosts, Fred Rogers, and a journalist named Lloyd Vogel, whom Rogers befriends at some point in his career. Ladies & gentlemen, I give you all my review for A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood.
Plot: In the year 1998, shortly after a horrifying experience occurs at his sister’s wedding, a journalist at Esquire named Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) is asked by his boss Ellen (Christine Lahti) to interview a kid’s show host by the name of Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks), the question remains, will this just be another interview for Vogel, or will this experience lead to a friendship that could help change Lloyd’s life for the better?
Wow, what a really good movie this was! At first glance, A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood might appear to act like a live-action kid’s movie. However, as the film progresses, one will discover that there are some deep subjects to unpack, from the whole deal with bitterness, learning to forgive those who have wronged you, loving your neighbor as yourself, and other things like that. This movie does so well with showing the difficulty of learning to forgive others, but also helps us, the audience, learn why it needs to be done in end. Also, the fact that Fred Rogers was a Christian as well, now that makes this movie even more great, especially since both Christians, and hopefully even non-Christians, could take away a great plenty from A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood, including the messages in this film, and probably even trying to put themselves in the shoes of the mostly the main characters (though perhaps the same can probably be said about some of the supporting characters as well). Also, just a side note, how cool is it that Tristar, the movie company that made this film, has partnered with the Christian radio station K-Love? Well anyway, I digress! Not only are the themes of this movie superb, but the same can be said about the characters, both the main characters, and the side characters too. Hardly anything about them is sugarcoated in this film, if at all. These characters are so deep and real that one can get behind them every step of the way. Also, Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys work well off of each other as Fred Rogers and Lloyd Vogel throughout the course of the movie. The rest of the cast is also phenomenal from Chris Cooper to Maryanne Plunkett, Tammy Blanchard, and all the other actors and actresses who were in this movie. Additionally, A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood does well with the cinematography, and having certain scenes act like real life, or even a toy set. Believe me when I say that you’ll know what I mean about that whole deal with the last part. Finally, the music in this film is well done too. Another side note, who probably wouldn’t enjoy that song that plays at different points in this film?
Well everyone, that concludes my review for A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood. Even if the movie mostly focuses on at least one aspect of Fred Rogers life, it is so well done that it shouldn’t matter all that much about whether or not other parts of Fred Rogers’ life were talked about. That especially since there were some deep subject matters uncovered for what we got in this film. Oh, and another thing, isn’t it great how Tom Hanks will have the legacy of playing iconic people like Fred Rogers, as well as Walt Disney in Saving Mr. Banks back in 2013? Granted, Tom Hanks is really great in basically any role that he’s in. Still, it’s definitely great that Hanks would perform well with playing the role of real life characters like those two. Well, definitely make sure to see A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood, if you haven’t. There is plenty to recommend when it comes to this movie. It has fun music, interesting cinematography, really good characters played by celebrities who show how well they can act, and other great elements like those. No doubt that this movie is a must-see.
Final Grade: A+
Matthew’s Animated & Live-Action Movie Reviews 