I was able to catch the movie “That Thing You Do” with Tom Hanks the other day. The film follows a small band from Erie, PA as they hit the big time with a one hit wonder and just as quickly dissolve. This is one of those movies that just brings a smile to my face, nothing profound just a joyful little musical treat. So are there any fans of THYD and what were your impressions.
Love it. Granted, it’s nothing edgy or mind boggling or anything like that, it’s just a fun, charming, nostalgic romp.
Much like the titular song being a shamelessly catchy pop tune. It’s just sheer bubblegum entertainment, but it’s also well made entertainment. And in a world filled with crap movies that’s more than enough to make it one of my all-time favorite comedies: it knows what it is and never hides it, but it also never falls in complete idiocy.
Absolutly love it. My favorite scene is when they hear the record on the radio for the first time and all end up at the appliance store. Pure joy.
I am Sparticus!
I enjoy the movie, but I love that song. When a friend and first saw this, I said that you had to like the song to be able to watch the movie, since you hear it about 560 times. 
Sing it with me now: “You, doing that thing you do… breaking my heart into a million pieces, like you always do…”
Actually, I like all the music in that movie. It genuinely sounds like songs you’d hear from the early '60s.
It’s a very sweet movie, not the usual gory drugs-and-self-destruction stuff you get in films about rock-and-roll bands. Nothing really very bad happens to anyone, and the sense of excitement the boys and Liv Tyler’s character feel as they rise to fame on their one hit is really wonderful. Especially in the scene where they hear their song on the radio that first time.
My impression was much the same as everyone else’s-it was a fun, sweet movie. The little jokes were great, like the mispronunciations of their name when they tried to be the Oneders and the bass player’s name remaining a secret.
One of my favorites. It captures much of the music scene from top to bottom, from the inside to out.
As a movie, I find the “playing” the actors do to be quite believeable, probably due to the technique in use now to give actors an intensive course in instrument playing before they act on camera. Although the actual sounds on the soundtrack are recorded in studios with professional musicians, the actors don’t have to pretend and the camera doesn’t have to worry about angles like in 1930-1940’s movies where you never saw the hands of the guy playing the piano, and he obviously didn’t know middle C from any other letter.
Mr. S and I are huge fans of this movie. (We named a litter of three kittens Lenny, Wolfman, and Guy. Wolfie is still with us, and oddly enough, he’s a bit of a scaredy-cat. “Too scary – GO!”) But if you want a completely different experience, watch the director’s cut. Both versions are awesome, but the DC is almost a different movie!
. . .
Naw, I can’t even give you any hints, or I’ll ruin it. Just get your hands on the director’s cut!
That’s almost exactly what I was going to say. They got so many of the little touches right. There’s that early scene where they play the song up-tempo on a whim, and it catches on. I’ve heard stories of other accidents in 50’s and 60’s rock that this one really fits. And naming the band as a joke on “one-hit wonders” was great.
And the song works. It sounds like something that would have caught on huge back then, and still be played on oldies stations.
That Thing You Do is sweet as apple pie. I liked the Tom Hanks character. Money and control were the bottom line, but the music and the people weren’t just afterthoughts.
Watched it again on telly recently, and the romance angle was kinda cringe-inducing toward the end with all the talk about wasting kisses, but I’d recommend it to anyone, especially people with a fondness for 60s British Invasion music.
There are a lot of good moments. My favorite is when the drummer kicks up the tempo without warning the band.
Although they never filmed in Erie some of the little touches from my hometown were correct: Mercyhurst College, WICU TV12, Kohler Beer. What I like is none of the characters are really evil all are pretty decent although Jimmy was an ass to Faye.
I love it. I actually just watched it again the other day. Agree with those above, the Director’s Cut is completely different. Still good, just different.
The very first tune I bought from iTunes was “Dance With Me Tonight.” It’s still my favorite song from the movie. I chuckle every time I think of Tom Hanks doing that Kirk Gibson arm pump in the middle of the song, when they chop to the bridge.
You REALLY learn a lot about Mr. White in the director’s cut. (Have I said too much?)
I struggled to come up with a favorite quote from the movie. Too many!! I will say that we almost always refer to Chris Isaak as “Uncle Bob,” and refer to one or two people who got a bit too crazy about the jewelry I used to make and sell as “my fan.”
One of the best scenes has to be when Guy meets Del Paxton. “You. Are. My biggest fan.” And watching the trio guys snort. I’m quite sure that the purpose of the whole jazz club part was so that Mr. Hanks could show off his wife’s breasts. 
My mom enjoyed that movie.
She also failed to realize that the band was fictional.
In fact she claimed that she remembered the group from her youth.
She doesn’t usually have this problem, so I gather that the movie is extremely evocative of that era.
I adore the movie. I basically watch it whenever it’s on, so sometimes, that’s several times a month. There are so many great moments, and Tom Hanks’ Brian Epstein impression is wonderful.
I’m glad to see so many folks mention the director’s cut. If you like the movie and haven’t seen it, go get a copy now. A lot more Tina, a little more Marguerite, and a little something “extra” about Mr. White.
If you like the soundtrack to the movie, check out the band “Fountains of Wayne” (the guys who did “Stacy’s Mom”, which was a big hit a couple of years ago). They wrote the music for the movie. Their albums are full of catchy pop tunes.
I love this movie! I know we’re all supposed to love Guy Patterson, but I think Lenny is underrated. He is hilarious! Probably my favorite character especially when he is playing Go Fish with those older men at the club.
It was fun. Suffered a bit because there was no real conflict, but it was fun to watch the rise and fall of the Oneders.
Mr. S had some insight about Lenny (or perhaps more about Chrissy Tompkins) when he was hitting on her in front of the photo booth and she was blowing him off. (“What about the bass player?” “He’s married!”) He said she was blowing him off not because he was being so goofy, but because he was short. Voice of experience – Mr. S is short too.
I didn’t really catch that at first, but I think he’s right.
My favorite Lenny line is, “Oh, I’m not with these fellas. I got a pig in competition over at the livestock pavilion and I’m gonna WIN THAT BLUE RIBBON!”