During Tom Hanks' interview on The Daily Show last week, a friend and I were discussing how he might be most well-liked man on planet. The interview makes it so clear what a professional entertainer he is - he knows exactly how to make everyone in a room look at him and like him. And if anyone did dislike him, you really couldn't after this:
Tom Hanks Saves Wedding
Can the man do no wrong (excluding, of course, "You've Got Mail")??
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I agree that no one dislikes Tom Hanks, but I think a few more duds need to be added to that list of mis-steps: The Green Mile, Cast Away, The Polar Express, and The Da Vinci Code.
ReplyDeleteThat said, Tom Hanks is awesome and he is welcome at my future wedding even if he doesn't rescue it first.
You're right, those were all shitty. What I find interesting, though, is that quality aside, those films were all pretty smart career choices (in that they were successful and put out by major studios). Most actors of his caliber have made a few true duds, and pretty much all of Hanks' movies have been big, if not necessarily respected. Maybe it's because he's not really a romantic lead? It's what led Harrison Ford down the path of no return ("Six Days, Seven Nights," etc.). I don't know, but somehow Tom seems to have the formula all figured out, and will end his career with a shitload of money, a shitload of awards, basically endless adoration, and (Polar Express and You've Got Mail aside) most of his dignity. I think most major celebrities can probably only boast one or two.
ReplyDeleteAs a disclaimer, I'm not any bigger of a Tom Hanks fan than anyone else - I just find the massive celebrity/likable human balancing act that he's got going on interesting.