Mike Legeros Movie Review - That Thing You Do (1996)

The writing and directing debut of Tom Hanks is very much like his 
screen persona:  pleasant, witty, and entirely inoffensive.  THAT 
THING YOU DO! is about a fictional '60's pop band (from Erie, PA) 
who find fame and fortune with their first recorded song.  (That 
song they do, which you'll soon love to hate, is played at least 
ten times during the movie.  Or is it eleven?)  Most of the story 
(about 90 minutes worth) is devoted to the *rise* of the band and, 
once that's over, what happens afterward is all but ignored.  No 
problem!  The obvious intent, here, is a feel-good, everybody's 
happy period piece with lots of freshly scrubbed faces and plenty 
of upbeat, uptempo, up up up music.  Few frowns are allowed, thank 
you very much, which I guess means a movie better suited to Beatles 
people than Elvis people.  (Somewhere you have to make a choice.)  
And, if you winced at the modern-sounding soundtrack of GRACE OF MY 
HEART, be prepared for more canned music.  Damn slick, like every-
thing else.  Frankly, I didn't like this movie.  Despite the honest 
laughs, an appealing cast, and a couple of very personal cameos, it 
was just too nice for my tastes.  (Rated "PG"/110 min.)

Grade: B+

Copyright 1996 by Michael J. Legeros

Originally posted to triangle.movies in MOVIE HELL: September 29, 1996