Synopsis: Oscar winners Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts reunite for a romantic comedy about a jobless, divorced, 50-something, and a burnt-out unhappily married college professor. Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks) tries to cope by reinventing himself with his enrollment in a community college, joining a scooter gang, and falling for a professor Mercedes Tainot ( Julia Roberts).
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Rating: PG-13, Released July, 2011
Starring: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts
Directed and Produced by Tom Hanks and written by Tom Hanks and Nia Vardalos
With his retail job-gone, wife-gone, and money almost-gone, all Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks) has remaining is his dignity and desire to rebuild his life. To that end, he acts on his neighbours' Karmar (Cedric the Entertainer) and B’Elle (Taraji P. Henson) suggestion of enrolling in college. Upon arrival to register, the Dean of the college convinces Larry to join a speech class (Speech 217) which is taught by Mercedes Tainot (Julia Roberts) to better prepare Larry for his potential job interviews.
Enter Mercedes Tainot (Roberts), who is churlish and unhappy, deflated and hung-over, feeling her lessons have no impact on her students anymore. Her personal life is going nowhere fast, residing with her useless porn-surfing husband, (Bryan Cranston), and resorts to regularly soothing her troubles with booze. Her classroom scenes are funny, highlighting the inadequacies of her misfit students, and their comical struggles with presenting speeches.Co-scripted by Nia Vardalos, (monster hit My Big Fat Greek Wedding) worked the main ideas with Hanks for this screenplay, by incorporating a college classroom setting. For anyone who has attended (or taught in) community colleges is familiar with the diversity of most student bodies, which go every which way, ethnically, socioeconomically, generationally contributing nicely to the storyline tangents.
Larry connects with a fellow student, a 30-year his junior, sexy classmate Talia (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who makes it her mission in life to transform him into a more contemporary dude. She is impressive with her out-there confidence, and blunt, humourous dialogue. Talia’s boyfriend Dell, also "Fez" from That 70′s Show! (Wilmer Valderrama) is hilarious in his “monitoring” role, keeping a close eye on any potential romantic developments between Larry and his Talia. George Takei (Sulu, Star Trek) plays a quirky Economics professor Dr. Matsutani, who regularly messes with his students’ heads, and enjoys hiking his students' smart phones.
The plot is fairly predictable, with the lead actors Tom and Julia, (cute together-but unfortunately little sizzle) when they finally start to click; well, maybe sort-of. Particularly fun when they gallivant on a scooter, but they just don’t seem to inject a magnitude of meat into their roles keeping the mood, and emotions light and almost too airy. Disappointing for such colossal actors.
The story emphasizes that hope and happiness are possible, even when life is tumbling downward around us, namely society’s nagging recession such as employer downsizing, sky-high gas prices, housing foreclosure, and garage sale bargaining.
Larry Crowne offers an easy-going summer flick, certainly not riveting, but relaxed and comfy, and is perhaps most suitable for an "older" crowd...40-something plus.
As a side-note, Tom Hanks was in fine form this weekend in Hollywood, California. Apparently described as the Royals favorite, Hanks enjoyed chatting and belly-laughing with Princess Kate, and Prince Wills at a charity fundraiser during their visit to U.S. Way to go Tom!
Tom Hanks, wife Rita, and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge
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