A "Perfect" Day in the Neighborhood
The real Fred Rogers in his show, Mister Rogers Neighborhood
by: Gene J. Puskar
The much-anticipated movie about a beloved icon, Fred Rogers, has finally hit theaters. With an incredible documentary about Mister Rogers coming out only a year ago, we are able to take another look at this unbelievable man, this time with Tom Hanks taking the lead. Coming into A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood I was expecting a long biography of Mister Rogers himself. However, instead it took a different, yet completely successful, route.
Tom Hanks depicting Fred Rogers with his famous puppet, Daniel Tiger
by: TIFF
The TV show, Mister Rogers Neighborhood, had an incredible run beginning in 1968 and having the final episode in 2001. So, as I am sure many are wondering, what made this man and this show so spectacular? When I asked Mrs. Sommer what she thought of the show growing up she described it as “a magical place where people just took care of each other.” Mister Rogers Neighborhood takes us back to a simpler time and Fred Rogers was the man behind it all. He was able to speak to children in a way no man has been able to do before, helping children acknowledge feelings and learn to control impulses. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood takes a closer look to the impact that Fred Rogers had on every individual.
The film begins just as any Mister Rogers episode would with a catchy theme song and the man himself Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks) arriving home. However, instead of telling the story of Mr. Rogers, the film follows Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys), a bitter magazine journalist. When Lloyd is assigned to write an article about a “hero” he gets the opportunity to meet Mr. Rogers through an interview. Even with Lloyd being the harshest critic around he was no match for Fred Rogers. Rogers is able to get Lloyd to open up about his feelings on past experiences that are holding him back such as his relationship with his father. The two become good friends as Lloyds article was a success and Mr. Rogers was able to fix the father and son relationship we see throughout the film.
Lloyd Vogel looking over Mister Rogers neighborhood
by: Lacey Tarrell
The overall film was a massive success earning a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and making 4.5 million dollars on its opening day. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood was brilliantly directed by Marielle Heller who has created other great films such as The Diary of a Teenage Girl and Can You Ever Forgive Me? However, her most recent work is certainly her best. Tom Hanks is nearly perfect in the film as he plays a role many would struggle with. Hanks is able to capture the true mannerisms that makes Fred Rogers so beloved by many. Yet it isn’t just Tom Hanks that makes this movie spectacular. A killer performance from Matthew Rhys should not go unseen. The two together make an incredible duo as I believe both should be nominated this Oscar season.
The plot, as some would describe it slow, tells a terrific story. It displays a beautiful tribute to a man so kind and pure many people can even wrap their brains around. Heller did an unbelievable job as she depicted the story as a Mister Rogers Neighborhood episode even having the miniature neighborhood shown in between cuts of New York and Pittsburgh.
The movie teaches us lessons on how we should deal with our feelings. For me I could see that even when I am down there is someone who is there for me. This is overall a great family film and one I believe every person should be able to see as it shows us the impact Fred Rogers was able to make not only on one individual at a time but a whole community. My final rating for A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is a 9.4/10.