That Thing You Do!: Tom Hank's Extended Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition)
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Customer Review
A Mini-Masterpiece
Last week, I saw "That Thing You Do!" on one of the cable movie channels. I had not seen it for a while and had a couple of hours staring me down, so I sat back and watched it. The film itself is a nice piece of work by Mr. Hanks. He did himself proud. And that song! What a catchy, get-under-your-skin-in-your-brain pop tune!Then, two days later, I was in Best Buy (humming That Thing You Do, by the way) and this new edition DVD appears before me unexpectedly, on sale. Without thinking, I bought it, took it home and I have watched it three times since (the theatrical release, once and the extended version, twice) and I will watch many times more.This new release of That Thing You Do! underscores why "The Director's Cut" genre in DVD releases has become so invaluable to film aficionados like myself.The theatrical version is priceless (still), but the "Director's Cut" is incredible and a major revelation. So many gaps in the plot have been filled in...
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Refreshing and charming.
This is a delightful movie, probably unlike any you've ever seen. All the characters are so well balanced and adorable, and their story is so well told that it makes you feel it's a true story about real people. It's refreshing, sweet, entertaining and charming.A group of friends puts together a music band and they record a song. The song gets on the radio and quickly climbs the music charts, making them an overnight success. Their unexpected and speedily growing fame puts their relationships, as well as individual integrity and self-respect, to the test. Troubles arise, and with them the characters show their true natures, good and bad, making their musical career as a rock group as brief and ephemeral as lightning.But despite the obstacles the characters face, a few good things derive from them, new relationships are formed, old ones are strengthened, and all the characters make the choices that allow them to successfully follow their dreams after having lived through a...
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A very well-thought out and believable movie!
My impression in watching this movie for the first time a few years ago is how Tom Hanks went to great lenghts to make you feel that this DID happen. (or could have happened).The catchy tune of the same title plays like a classic. Along with the movie, check out the soundtrack and liner notes. (written by none other than Mr. A.M. White of Playtone records!) Interesting tidbits of information again form a very solid back story to this charming and funny movie.Things like musicians last names come from Hanks' other favorite subject.. The space program. Starting with Wonders' members Lenny Haise & James Mattingly (they share last names with famous astronauts.. Fred Haise was part of the doomed Apollo 13 mission)The theme song to "Mr. Downtown", a show about the exploits of one police sergeant named "Shakes" Lovell (probably named after Apollo 13 commander James Lovell) and the song "Voyage Around the Moon", a Ventures-ish surf rocker performed...
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Product Description
Tom Hanks writes, directs and co-stars in this refreshing, big-hearted comedy that captures the overnight triumph of an American rock band during the glory days of rock and roll. Top to learn more
Tom Hanks's debut as a writer and director is a lively, affectionate account of the shooting-star career of a forgotten (fictional) '60s pop-rock band called The Wonders--as in "one-hit wonders." Hanks plays the manager of the group, which includes drummer Guy "Sticks" Patterson (Tom Everett Scott) who works the floor at his parents' appliance store in Erie, Pennsylvania; Jimmy (Johnathon Schaech), the talented and temperamental lead singer and songwriter; Lenny (Steve Zahn), the goofy guitarist; and Ethan Embry as a geeky little fellow identified in the cast list only as "The Bass Player." The movie traces their meteoric rise and fall, from cutting their first record, to going on tour with a Phil Spector/Motown-type revue, to the internal tensions that lead to the band's disintegration, which comes when they fail to follow up their smash hit single, "That Thing You Do!" And that song, by the way, is so catchy it would definitely have been a hit in 1964--and deserves to be one today. This delightful movie would make a great double-bill with Allison Anders's wonderful Grace of My Heart. --Jim Emerson Top to learn more






