"THAT THING YOU DO!: TOM HANKS' EXTENDED CUT"
DVD Review
by Rachel Buccicone
| MOVIE: *** (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: **** (out of 5 stars) STARRING Tom Everett Scott as GUY PATTERSON Liv Tyler as FAYE DOLAN Johnathon Schaech as JIMMY MATTINGLY Steve Zahn as LENNY HAISE Ethan Embry as T.B. PLAYER Tom Hanks as MR. WHITE Not Rated Studio: 20th Century Fox Directed by: Tom Hanks Back to DVD Review Home |  |
The 1996 Tom Hanks project “That Thing You Do!” gives The Wonders yet another shot at glory with the release of an extended cut.
Guy Patterson (Tom Everett Scott) opens the film as our central figure playing the drums along with his favorite jazz record. When their drummer breaks his arm, some friends invite Guy to play a college talent show in his place. Luckily, Guy insists on speeding up the tempo of Jimmy Mattingly’s (Johnathon Schaech) ballad during the performance thus creating the song “That Thing You Do” that would become a national hit.
The story follows the band consisting of Guy as the drummer, Jimmy as lead singer and guitarist, Lenny (Steve Zahn) playing guitar, and T.B. (Ethan Embry) on bass. Along for the ride is Faye Dolan (Liv Tyler), Jimmy’s girlfriend.
As the group grows ever more famous with its song on the radio and concert tours, the boys eventually meet Mr. White (Tom Hanks) of Play-Tone Records who really makes the group a teen sensation. Fame affects each member of the band differently with only Guy remaining unchanged. This of course leads to problems, changes, and disappointments leading to the bands ultimate downfall.
The cast of “That Thing You Do!” is absolutely perfect. Tom Everett Scott (“Because I Said So”) proves himself as a leading man as the central character Guy. Steve Zahn (“Rescue Dawn”) and Ethan Embry (“Vacancy”) are the source of all the film’s humor, Embry playing a character reminiscent of his “Empire Records” character. Johnathon Schaech (“Little Chenier”) plays a great asshole and really has the hair for the part. While I’ve never praised Liv Tyler (“Reign Over Me”) as an actress, the least I can say is that the ‘60s outfits really suited her.
The problem with this story and hence the extended cut, is that it is so gruelingly long. We seem to see every step The Wonders took toward fame no matter how unremarkable. Additionally, the plot tries to put the focus on Guy Patterson, but developed his character only slightly more than the rest. The name Del Paxton is drilled into our heads throughout the film as Guy’s favorite jazz musician in an attempt to make Guy’s meeting of his idol meaningful. The film starts with Guy’s love of jazz and brings us full-circle back to that love by the end, despite its indifference to the rest of the plot. Lastly, once the viewer has been convinced he’s watched a film about friendship, the end will declare it a romantic comedy.
The “That Thing You Do!: Tom Hanks Extended Cut” is a two-disc re-release of the film written and directed by Hanks. Bonus features include the extended version of the film, several featurettes, and HBO special, music video, and trailers. For the die-hard Tom Hanks/Wonders fans, these are surely gems.
“That Thing You Do!” is only a slightly remarkable film based on fact. The presence of Tom Hanks as writer and director might hold significance for some, but on the whole, it’s not earth-shattering. Besides having a rather long and disjointed plot, the performances are commendable and enjoyable. If you’ve always wanted to own this flick on DVD, the extended cut is right for you; otherwise, be sure to rent before you buy.
Specifications: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Widescreen (1.85:1). English, Spanish and French Language Track. English and Spanish Subtitles.
