A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood

A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Director : Marielle Heller

Year : 2020

Genre : Biographical drama

Rating : ****

It may not mean much to us here in Britain but over the pond, the name Fred Rogers is one that immediately stirs emotions and affections in the hearts of Americans young and old. A staple of pre-school television for the best part of 35 years, Fred, or more affectionately Mr. Rogers provided children of all ages with regular doses of fun, laughter, imagination and heartfelt wisdom with his beloved show 'Mister Rogers' Neighbourhood' and even 17 years after his death from cancer in 2003, his universal messages of hope, acceptance and love still resonate just as strongly today as they did when he spoke them 3 decades ago.

With all of that said, it makes complete sense that a film about the nicest man on television should star the nicest man in Hollywood - Tom Hanks - and he, as always, rises to challenge perfectly. In Marielle Heller's lovely but surprisingly odd biographical drama 'A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood', Hanks dons Rogers' iconic red sweater as he attempts to crack the hardened shell surrounding the notoriously bitter and remorseful interviewers Lloyd Vogel (on whose 1998 Esquire article the movie is based) who foolishly believes himself to be immune to the television legends' monologues about love, redemption and forgiveness.

While 'A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood' may not be the first film to centre around Fred Rogers - he was also the subject of the Oscar-nominated 2018 documentary 'Won't You Be My Neighbour?', it is one of a very few that has been seemingly scientifically designed to brighten up the lives of every person who watches it. Framed around an episode of the show, the movie makes great use of the same models and tiny sets that were a staple of 'Mister Rogers' Neighbourhood' and the result is a hugely appealing but undoubtedly bizarre viewing experience whose strangeness is only heightened by Hanks' almost supernaturally nice performance which deftly walks the razor-thin tightrope between true sincerity and unsettling, almost creepy obsession - the latter seen particularly when his tatty and rather terrifying puppets come out to play. Like the character of Vogel, brilliantly played by Matthew Rhys, I first thought myself impervious to Rogers' sickly sweet persona but by the end credits, I too was fully enchanted by his and the movies disarmingly sincere heart and must even admit to shedding more than a few tears throughout the films more moving and heart-wrenching moments, especially those that centre around the fractured relationship between Vogel and his estranged father (Chris Cooper).

As we are all aware, 2020 has not been an easy year and it is completely understandable if a portion of your hope may have been lost. However, as long as movies such as 'A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood' and people such as Tom Hanks, Marielle Heller and the memory of Fred Rogers are still around, then it is clear that everything will be alright in the end. 

Stay safe everyone x