Larry Crowne

So let's say you aren't interested in any way of seeing giant robots fighting each other for the control of mankind and planet earth. While I'm at it let's say you aren't one of the masses that cares for kids waving wands around trying to save their world from some maniacal evil wizard. If you fall into one or both of these category's then boy do I have the movie for you. Larry Crowne is a movie that stars Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. There are no robots and the only magic in this movie you're supposed to believe in is the romance between the two leading actors (which is sometimes hard to buy).

Universal's release of Larry Crowne right after Transformers and two weeks before Harry Potter was a stroke of genius. The charm of this movie is the perfect escape for those parents who are worn out by said giant robots, animated racing cars, guys in green pj's, and bracing for the wizarding world. Directed by Tom Hanks and written by Tom Hanks and Nia Vadarlos, the woman who wrote and starred in My Big Fat Greek Wedding which was produced by Hank's production company Crowne is the story of a man who seemed to have a handle on life and had things going his way while working at U-Mart. That was until he's let go because he's maxed out as a team leader and can rise no higher in management due to his never attending college.

The beauty of this movie isn't the topical story but the great cast assembled. Larry's neighbors are Cedric The Entertainer and Taraji P. Henson who play the married couple Lamar and B'Ella. George Takei plays Dr. M the economics professor that unknowingly helps Larry get a handle on his finances. Tom Hanks' wife Rita Wilson makes an appearance as his banker and his son Chet Hanks plays the pizza delivery boy. Rounding out the cast there's Pam Grier, Wilmer Valderrama, Rami Malek, Brian Cranston, and the lovely newcomer Gugu Mbatha-Raw who plays the flirtatious Talia. You'll be seeing a lot more of her I'm sure (she's that good).

For this being Tom's second time helming a major motion picture, his first was the critically acclaimed but box office disappointment That Thing You Do, Crowne was well done. There are moments where the movie drags and a lot of that has to do with the (yawn) disintegrating marriage between Julia Roberts character Mercedes Tainot and her porn loving husband Dean played by Breaking Bad's Brian Cranston. Other than that this movie about a man who lifts himself up after being unceremoniously dumped by the company he's worked for for years is not an instruction manual on what to do should this happen to you but it's message should be heeded.

The music by James Newton Howard is spartan due to all the classic rock songs littered throughout the film but James' score was poignant and sweet. Transformers was a movie I wanted to see but Larry Crowne was a movie I needed to see. It may be a movie you need to see as well and if you can buy Mercedes Tainot falling for Larry Crowne then all the better. I'll see you at the theater.