The Fab Four without the Mop Tops
A Pennsylvania band scores a hit in 1964 and rides the star-making machinery as long as it can, with lots of help from its manager. But behind the scenes, the group’s sudden fame tests their strength, their maturity and responsibility, and their ability to resist the temptations that money and notoriety always make possible.
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Character
Classical in form, nostalgic, effortless and cool.
- classical in formformally daring
- contemporarynostalgic
- effortlessdemanding
- cooloverwhelming
- sparerichly built
Who loves it, who doesn't
42 profiled raters. Loved most by The Comfort Seekers; disliked most by The Cartographers.
Where do you stand?
Answer first; then see how everyone, and your circle, split.
“Is the nostalgia doing the heavy lifting?”
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“Is Tom Hanks the best thing in That Thing You Do!?”
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“Is it funnier than it is smart?”
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Ask the title
A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
Reviews
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Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- Filipe Manuel Netoon TMDB · May 20238/10
**Tom Hanks gave life and affection to this project, which easily reminds us of the golden years of rock-and-roll.** The film is a very nice story that revolves around the world of ephemeral "rock and roll" stars. In 1964, a group of youngsters from Pennsylvania suddenly emerge from obscurity when their garage band, the Wonders, achieve fame and success on the back of a single song, "That Thing You Do". Believing in a potential that might not exist, the scouts of the music world waste no time and the boys get a contract with a major label, which is waiting expectantly for equally good songs. However, sudden fame will test the strength of the group, the maturity and responsibility of that guys and their ability to resist the temptations that money and notoriety always make possible. Tom Hanks is more than a protagonist, he is the engine that pulls the film and makes it possible. He had achieved fame at the expense of good comedies like “Big” or “Money Pit”, but he had his consecration in films like “Sleepless in Seattle”, “Philadelphia”, “Forrest Gump” and “Apollo 13”. In addition, he already had two Oscars on his shelf, so he had the means to leverage a project he liked, and there
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Cast
- Tom HanksMr. White
- Tom Everett ScottGuy Patterson
- Liv TylerFaye Dolan
- Johnathon SchaechJimmy Mattingly
- Steve ZahnLenny Haise
- Ethan EmbryT.B. Player
- Charlize TheronTina
- Obba BabatundéLamarr
- Giovanni RibisiChad
- Chris EllisPhil Horace
Crew
- Tom HanksDirector
- Tom HanksScreenplay
- Tak FujimotoDirector of Photography
- Howard ShoreOriginal Music Composer
- Richard ChewEditor
- Edward SaxonProducer
- Jonathan DemmeProducer
- Gary GoetzmanProducer
Where to watch
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Pairings
Companions we picked from the closest works, and how to take them.
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Tastebuds Other media included when they land close.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 202682% alikeBoth classical in form.
Dolemite Is My Name 201981% alikeBoth nostalgic, classical in form.
Cooley High 197581% alikeBoth classical in form.
The Rum Diary 201179% alikeBoth classical in form, nostalgic.
Grace of My Heart 199678% alikeBoth classical in form.
The Reivers 196978% alikeBoth classical in form, effortless.
The Notorious Bettie Page 200677% alikeBoth classical in form, nostalgic.
A Futile and Stupid Gesture 201877% alikeBoth classical in form, nostalgic.
Acapulco 202177% alikeTelevision · Both nostalgic, classical in form.
Red Oaks 201476% alikeTelevision · Both classical in form, nostalgic, effortless.
Often watched with
Recommendations from TMDB. Opening one adds it to Tastebuds
