Larry Crowne

It doesn’t matter who is making the film or who is on screen, you must present something special and unique to entertain the audience. Tom Hanks co-wrote, co-produced, directed and starred in “Larry Crowne” and Julia Roberts plays his love interest. It sounds like a home run but the story of any film is what subconsciously speaks to the viewer more so any other elements. The movie wasn’t terrible but there was nothing about it that was extraordinary. It was quite plain and predictable.

There are a good many comic possibilities for an older gentlemen going to college but this film seems to take a realistic approach and that didn’t work for me. The film starts in the same way as Hanks’ other directorial film “That Thing You Do” with a montage of images of our protagonist working so that was interesting to notice. Another thing that I noticed about the story is that the relationship between Larry and Mrs. Tainot seems to have progression problems. It seems that they connect too suddenly towards the end of the film. There were a lack of moments between them where their relationship builds. The scene where Mrs. Tainot is drunk is not genuine romance because later, just like in real life, the sober female is regretful of her actions. This scene was fine but it should have happened earlier in the film and then they have authentic romantic moments follow that scene as we get to the climax. Hanks’ ability to play the everyman works in this film but not as well as with other characters he has played like Viktor Navorski, Captain John Miller, Paul Edgecomb or Carl Hanratty. I think the reason is that Larry Crowne is too basic. An important element concerning a classic everyman is that they still have a little complexity to allow for a good story. Both Chuck Noland and Robert Langdon for example seem like regular guys but both are smart and relatable. Forrest Gump “may not be a smart man, but [he knows] what love is.” Larry Crowne did not have anything truly appealing about him. Julia Roberts’ character was obviously someone who needed to change but it happens to easily and sudden. Cedric the Entertainer was great but the best performance in the movie goes to George Takei. Every line he had was very funny thanks to his acting. The movie had laughs from other characters but the story was not good enough to balance the humor.

Every cinematic element of a movie is an appendage to the story. It doesn’t matter how great the puppet looks; the puppet master is what creates the magic. One might think that the director represents the puppet master but I believe that the story of a movie symbolizes a puppet master more effectively. Everyone on the film may be following a director but the director follows the script. “Larry Crowne” was too realistic of a story to be enjoyable. People like to see extraordinary things happen to ordinary people and Larry is too ordinary and his journey is not all that special. The special parts about it are executed in untimely way.

2.5 Stars