A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD (EXCLUSIVE SERIES)
- Matt Palmer
- Jan 29, 2023
- 2 min read
Initial release date: November 22, 2009
Studios: Sony-TriStar/Tencent Pictures
Tagline: We Could All Use a Little Kindness
Plot: Lloyd Vogel is an investigative journalist who receives an assignment to profile Fred Rogers, aka Mr. Rogers. He approaches the interview with skepticism, as he finds it hard to believe that anyone can have such a good nature. But Rogers' empathy, kindness and decency soon chips away at Vogel's jaded outlook on life, forcing the reporter to reconcile with his own painful past.
Cast
Tom Hanks - Fred Rogers
Matthew Rhys - Lloyd Vogel
Chris Cooper - Jerry Vogel
Susan Kelechi Watson - Andrea Vogel
Maryann Plunkett - Joanne Rogers
Enrico Colantoni - Bill Isler
Wendy Makkena - Dorothy
Tammy Blanchard - Lorraine
Noah Harpster - Todd
Writer(s): Micah Fitzerman-Blue (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil)
Noah Harpster (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil)
Tom Junod (inspired by the article "Can You Say ... Hero?" by)
Fred Rogers (based on the work by)
Director: Marielle Heller (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
Rated PG for some strong thematic material, a brief fight, and some mild language (109 minutes)
The other night I took a look at the 2019 film 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,' which featured Tom Hanks as the one and only Mr. Rogers (who we have watched at some point in our lives).
This is a heart-warming feature film that can be very emotional and can also be a little nostalgic for anyone who has watched Mr. Rogers while they were younger. Hanks, as always, has another wonderful performance in this film. His portrayal is really compassionate and he really disappears in the role easily.
'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood' is an inspiring film that is an absolute must-watch. The film is available to rent via Vudu, Google Play, Apple TV and Redbox. It's also currently available if you have a premium subscription to STARZ, YouTube, The Roku Channel and Amazon Prime.
Here are some interesting tidbits for 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood':
Fred Rogers was known to be extremely difficult to interview because he cared more about the person interviewing him that he did about being interviewed and would often use the time to befriend the person interviewing him.
Rogers' widow, Joanne Rogers, has stated that Hanks is the perfect actor to play her late husband.
The puppets used in the film aren't the originals but instead are meticulous recreations by the puppet makers for 'Sesame Street.' The director confirmed this during the 2019 London Film Festival.
The minute of silence in the restaurant scene featured all the people who had worked with Rogers on his show and was done in memory of him.
According to producers and contrary to early belief, the film isn't a biopic of Rogers. Rather, the film centers on journalist Tom Junod (here called Lloyd Vogel) and his experience interviewing Rogers and the impact it had on him.
This is the seventh time in which Tom Hanks portrayed a real life person.
On Jun 29, 2018, it was announced that Sony's TriStar Pictures had bought the worldwide distribution rights to the film 'You Are My Friend,' a biographical film based on a 1998 Esquire magazine article about TV personality Fred Rogers. 'You Are My Friend' was the original title.
'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood' grossed $61.7 million domestic, and $67 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $68.4 million, against a production budget of $25 million
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