‘Larry Crowne’ Review

Release Date: 7/1/2011

Larry Crowne, written directed and starring Tom Hanks, is a lighthearted comedy about an older man who loses his job and rediscovers himself as he goes to college for the first time.  It pains me to say this but this movie is just not very good.  The same guy who plays the infamous Forrest Gump, Capt. John H. Miller, Andrew Beckett and Paul Edgecomb plays the lead role of this terribly confused film.  The renowned Julia Roberts costars as the love interest and with 3 Oscars between the two leads you think it would have a better outcome, this is not the case.  The dialogue is atrocious and the supporting roles are horribly miscast, for a comedy it’s just not very funny and on top of all that, it lacks any real drama.  Tom Hanks the actor. Phenomenal. Tom Hanks the writer/director. Not so much.

The movie opens with Larry Crowne (Hanks) getting laid off.  More bad news follows when he learns that his house is now worth less than his mortgage.  So after the advice from a neighbor he enrolls in three courses at the local community college. A public speaking class – which is taught by Mercedes Tainot (Roberts), who has become as disillusioned about her profession as she is about her dead-end marriage.  At the same time a co-student in his Economics class (taught by George Takei), Talia (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), introduces him to a “scooter gang”.  The openness of his new friendship loosens Larry up so he can excel in Mrs. Tanoit’s course and change his life for the better.

This movie is changing no ones life.  It takes no risks and introduces to the audience nothing new.  It tries being hip and cool but as you watch you can almost picture Hanks and his writing partner struggling hard to make a coherent new age script.  Some actors excel behind the camera, Ben Affleck and Clint Eastwood for example.  It takes talent, patience and a precise skill.  Hanks now has two films under his belt, the first being That Thing You Do which was also very mediocre.  I give the man props for trying something other than acting but I think he should hang up his directing boots.

There are a couple scenes that had me smiling maybe even laughing out loud a bit.  There’s one scene where Hanks picks up a drunk Roberts and they have a moment at the front door.  It’s a nice scene and probably the only one that I was truly satisfied with.  Hanks and Roberts aren’t the problem but it just goes to show you that A-list actors mean nothing without a solid script and superior director at the helm.  The supporting cast of Mbatha-Raw who tries to be the quirky, flirty, free spirit comes across as annoying and unrealistic.  Wilmer Valderrama plays her boyfriend in the film, he tries to be a tough ass, and it’s a laughable performance.  Taraji P. Henson and Cedric the Entertainer play a married couple, are you kidding me?  Bryan Cranston’s talents are put to waste and I didn’t even know Pam Grier acted anymore.  The supporting cast is a complete mess to say the least.

Larry Crowne is a very bad summer movie, and probably wouldn’t have even been made without Hanks’ name all over it.  The ending is not quite so “Spectacalar” (as Hanks’ character would say).  My fellow moviegoer and I came up with a handful of better endings as we were walking out of the theater.

Sorry Mr. Hanks I’m being tough, but fair.  Your movie is WHACKED.

IMDB: N/A

Rotten Tomatoes: 33%

Moviewiseguys: 4.5/10