I always forget this movie when I list my favorites, but my wife and I both like it a lot and we always watch it when it comes on. It’s a very good flick.
A sign of the old times is when White tells Lenny to visit the cockpit, “tell them it’s your birthday.” In our day if a passanger did that he would be shot by a sky marshall or arrested for terrorism.
Wow, speak for yourself. That thing they did was in my head for days after I first saw the movie. Because of this thread it’s been an earworm since last night. I think it could have actually been a hit in its day.
tongue sticking out smiley Party pooper.
I love that they are watching the tremendous (and British!) “Fireball XL5” in the TV shop early on.
Former Erieite here as well - I never realized they never filmed exteriors in Erie! They captured the feel of State Street so well!
And I’m with Atomicktom - with the Director’s Cut not available from Netflix, there’s no way I’m going to see it. Please spoil it for those of us who don’t buy that many DVDs.
Netflix has a “disk 2” – could that be the extras that make up the Director’s cut? I think there’s a commentary already on the main disk.
I love the movie, and will stop and watch anytime I see it on TV.
I too like this movie, for many of the same reasons as the first several posters.
One additional: Bill Cobbs played Del Paxton, who also played Orvis in the Color of Money. In that movie, Cobbs puts down Vincent (played by a snotty Tom Cruise), when Fast Eddie brings Vincent to a pool hall. Orvis says, “This here’s Fast Eddie Felson, who the hell are you? The end of the world?”
Anyone who can deliver a scathing line like that, even if it’s in a bit part, helps make a movie better. And he did no less in That Thing You Do.
I agree that it’s a fun movie and I watch it whenever I catch it on. Most recently, I noticed that Jimmy’s lyrics work pretty well as an insight into his character, and they suggest that he was getting something on the side back in Erie.
–Cliffy
If you liked this movie, you should see The Commitments. Similar story, a band coming together and trying to make it and almost doing it.
I do like this movie and I have That Thing You Do on my Ipod.
I remember when this film came out an interview with Hanks about directing a movie for the first time and they asked if the studio was worried. He replied that since he wasn’t doing something srazy, like a story about a guy who lives in a cave and doesn’t talk to anyone for three hours, they were pretty OK with him directing.
Of course that seemed to have inspired Castaway.
Yes! One of all time favorites!
“I’m black and I’m proud!”
Totally love it.
I have a set of movies that when I see them on TV - I always end up adding them to my clicker rotation. I might not watch the whole thing, but I will click over to watch certain parts that I know are coming up.
That Thing You Do - “I Am Sparticus” to the end
Sister Act II - when they sing at the competition
Roadhouse
Empire Records
The Craft (no, I don’t know why)
The Breakfast Club
There’s more - but I’m drawing a blank. I just always have to watch them.
And yes, The Commitments is a great one too. Wonder if Dewey has seen that yet . . .
It’s adorable. I never get tired of watching it. I spent some time in Erie when I was in college, and the one thing I was always sad they didn’t mention was ox roast, some of the best roast beef I have ever tasted.
I watch this movie all the time when I’m at home sick- it’s just one of those DVDs you always reach for.
That said, what the hell am I missing without the director’s cut?
In the newly released Director’s Cut, Disk 1 has both the theatrical version and the extended version of the movie (watched it last night). Disk 2 has some extras, such as a “making of” featurette and a little reunion of the actors, who remember it as the most fun they’ve had making a movie.
Tom Hanks named his production company “PlayTone” – you could see their logo at the end of every episode of the HBO series “John Adams”.
I also love the entire Hollywood Television Showcase scene. Hanks gets his ol’ Bosom Buddie a role, and can’t resist getting his NASA on. Love how astronaut Gus Grissim stumbles through his lines (and how he pronounces ‘Gemini’). Anothter great Lenny moment is the look on his face after Guy answers his on-stage question with “I led you here, Sir. For I am Spartacus”.
Do we know why Lenny calls Guy ‘Skitch’? Is that band lingo, or just another great unanswered detail?
I always got a kick out of the scene in the intro where the song “Lovin you lots and lots” was playing and the dad was demonstrating the washing machine agitator: it was synched to the music. A very brief, subtle, lol.
A longer, more rambling, less compelling version. JMO, of course, but I was sorely disappointed. The theatrical release is tight and right. The director’s cut…looks like the product of a first-time director.
Anyway. I love all the little glimpses of Faye’s role in the band. I was “with a band” for a while in the early 1990s, and when I watch, I’m constantly saying “Me!” Faye throws darts while the band practices: me. She’s doing handclaps on the single: me. She’s in a booth selling the single while they play at the restaurant: me. Unfortunately, I never got to be all dolled up in the audience while the band was on TV. But I also never got left behind when the band was swarmed by fans. (Of course, that’s because they never got swarmed…)
And voguevixen, whenever I listen to “Lovin’ You Lots and Lots” (dude, I have the whole soundtrack on my iPod!), I have to “walk” my fingers along the nearest flat surface on the line “You are cute as a cuddly bear,” just like Guy does on the washing machine.