Tom Hanks as "The Lonely Guy" (again)

Cafe Society
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Spoiler Caution:
There might be some basic plot points discussed. So if you don’t know how “Sleepless in Seattle” ends, maybe this isn’t the thread for you.

I was watching a clip from “The Terminal” and noticed that Tom Hanks was playing “The Lonely Guy.” Again. I realized he just did that in “Catch Me if You Can”, “Cast Away” and, and… Time to hit IMDB.

Indeed, he usually plays some form of “The Lonely Guy.” He’s either estranged or afraid of being estranged from 1 or more of his love interest, friends, co-workers/job, “owner” (Toy Story 1 and 2), etc.

Here’s my analysis. “y” means “yes”, “~” means “sort of”, “n” means “no” and “?” means “I haven’t seen it/don’t remember.”

y Terminal, The
? Ladykillers, The
y Catch Me If You Can
y Road to Perdition
y Cast Away
? Green Mile, The
y Toy Story 2
~ You’ve Got Mail
y Saving Private Ryan
~ That Thing You Do!
y Toy Story
n Apollo 13
? Vault of Horror I
~ Forrest Gump
y Philadelphia
y Sleepless in Seattle
y League of Their Own, A
? Radio Flyer
? Bonfire of the Vanities, The
y Joe Versus the Volcano
? Turner & Hooch
n 'burbs, The
y Punchline
~ Big
n Dragnet
? Every Time We Say Goodbye
? Nothing in Common
n Money Pit, The
? Volunteers
~ Man with One Red Shoe, The
n Bachelor Party
~ Splash
y Mazes and Monsters

y 13
~ 6
n 5
? 9

If anyone can help fill in the "?"s (or otherwise wants to fix things), jump in.

The Debating Points are: Isn’t he getting a little too typecast in this regards? Shouldn’t be be doing Something Else in his movies?

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I dunno, man. He’s got some odd number of Oscars (and more nominations) as well as twice as much money than God.

I’d stick with it.

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I don’t mean to burn your dog here, but the OP is ludicrous!

How many movies that don’t star Tom Hanks are about someone who estranged or afriad of being estranged?

I think your beef is that so many movies share common plot devices, regardless of who’s in them.

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DakotaDog: Look, there’s plot devices and there’s typecasting.

Look at actors and typecasting.

Did John Wayne make a lot of movies where he played guys like Joe in “Joe vs. the Volcano”? Tony Randall? Rock Hudson?

John Wayne was Mr. Brave Hero in most roles. He rarely played The Lonely Guy (and mainly only in his later years).

Tony Randall was The Top Guy’s Best Friend. How many movies has Hanks done where that fits?

Rock Hudson is best known for Mr. Romantic Lead. You have to search fairly hard to find The Lonely Guy roles in his resume, e.g., “Magnificent Obsession”. Most people might think at first glance that Tom Hanks is usually a Rock Hudson-type Mr. Romantic Lead. I think that’s not so true, that in fact he is getting into a rut.

Ruts are bad. It hurt all the other actor’s I’ve mentioned by limiting what roles they could do.

(Semi-related. Kirk Douglas, another Mr. Brave Hero, got a lot of grief from Wayne for doing “Lust for Life”, a Sensitive Guy role. Ruts cause problems.)

Yes, there’s a limited number of plot devices, etc. But have Ahnuld and Stewart French had a lot of similar roles?

As for “The Terminal”, I don’t want to shell out $12 to see Tom Hanks as The Lonely Guy, again.

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Just want to contest your rating of splash with a “~” instead of a “y.” The whole first part of the film consists of Hanks being lonely and miserable after his breakup with his ex-fiancee.

For that matter, I gotta disagree with the Saving Private Ryan and Apollo 13 calls. Since they’re both characters whose lives are in jeopardy far from home, why are you calling SPR’s Hanks a Lonely Guy but not A13’s Hanks? If anything, I think the fact that we actually see Jim Lowell’s wife aching for him, and presumably vice versa, makes A13 a better “Lonely Guy” portrayal. And hey, what’s more lonely than the possibility of being cut off in outer space?

Seriously, you do have a point. But I don’t think Hanks is in much of a rut. As mentioned, he’s got Oscars and Oscar nominations up the wazoo, not to mention lots of respect as a talented actor and plenty of popularity as a personality. If every now and then he utilizes that puppy-dog face of his, who are we to argue with success? :smiley:

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I have to disagree with your y for Philadelphia. Tom’s character, although terminally ill with AIDS has the support of lover Antonio Banderas until his death. As previously mentioned, he’s happily married in Saving Private Ryan and A3po6o 13, just separated by geography. In The Green Mile, his character is happily married. In Road to Perdition, he’s happily married until the mob son kills his wife. After that he’s not lonely, he’s out for revenge. There is no seeking love in that movie. I think I would give a y to Forrest Gump, because he’s separated from Jenny for most of the time.

As for your typecasting, I’d have to say you’re off base. Most “romantic” roles (Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, etc.) are looking for love. That’s the point of the movie. Most action stars (Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan) have a job to do. That’s the plot of the movie. There aren’t many movies made of good looking couples going about their marriage.

StG