That Thing You Do!

Click here for fun trivia from That Thing You Do!

     Since Tom Hanks & his wife Rita Wilson are both recovering from COVID-19, I thought it would be fun to go back to 1996 & take a look at That Thing You Do. It's one of my favorite movies that they did & it's set in one of the greatest eras for music. The 60's! If you've never seen this one, get ready for a fun ride through the past.

     Movies about music have always held a special place in my heart. This one is no exception though it's about much more than music. That Thing You Do tells the story of a group a young men in a band that find success with a song. The band, The Wonders, ride the wave of success while each member faces his own issues on their rise to stardom. 

     Tom Hanks is Mr. White & he's there to keep the band together. He's the one that signs them to the Play-Tone label & puts them on the path to greatness. Tom Everett Scott is Guy Patterson, the reason that The Wonder become who they are. Watch the movie, you'll see why. Johnathan Schaech is Jimmy, the lead singer & founder of the group. Full of angst and attitude as every leader should be. Steve Zahn is Lenny, the guitar player & the resident goof ball. He is the comedic relief of the band & king of one-liners. Finally, we have Ethan Embry as The Bass Player, that's right The Bass Player. No real name so don't get too attached & there's a reason for that. Again, watch the movie & you'll get it.

     As we all know, most of the songs of the 60's were one-hit-wonders. No band really wants that to happen but one hit is better than no hit. Guy is brought in to replace the band's regular drummer in a talent show after he breaks his arm & the rest, shall we say, is history. The get discovered, records are made, papers are signed & The Wonders have a hit. Can the be more than one-hit-Wonders or will the trappings of fame tear them apart?

     There are no dull moments in That Thing You Do. It's an hour & 48 minutes so if you plan on taking a bathroom break you better go before you press play, there's no good spot to go during the movie. Sure you could pause it but you won't want to. This movie moves fast & will be over before you know it. There's a character for everyone to relate to if you wanted to be in a band, knew someone in a band, dated someone in a band or just fantasized about bands. This movie won't let you down. Let me know what you think of it & make sure you subscribe to my blog. You never know what I'll review next!