One of the joys being at home alone for a week was I could watch movies that are entirely to my own taste and preference. This was just one of them, but probably the best one. Food to feed the spirit, rather than the zombie apocalypse.
Tyler Vogel is a bitter man. An investigative journalist who writes unsparing demolitions of peoples reputations and brutal exposes of wrong doing. His editor at Esquire tells him, despite his reluctance to do a puff piece, to write an article for an edition on heroes. He is about to be dispatched to interview a much beloved children's TV presenter Mr Rogers.
Tyler has a wife and child of his own. Memories of his Mother during her death and of his woefully absent and unfaithful Father, still weigh heavily and angrily in his psyche. Turning up, even at his interview with Mr Rogers bearing the facial scars of a vengeful brawl the day before with his Father. We all can have empathy for Tyler, we sort of understand him, we all have a bitter side. He is us throughout the film - disbelieving, disquieted and questioning.
Tyler is deeply suspicious of who this man, Mr Rogers, really is. What planet is he from, really? Surely he can't be as eccentrically good as he appears? There must be a more morally dubious, darker side to him. His probing questions during the initial interview with Mr Rogers, are all met with receptive kindness. Rogers possesses an enquiring honesty that gently asks for a similar level of openness and revelation from Tyler. Mr Rogers is interested in why Tyler is how he is. No matter how much he tries to wrong foot Mr Rogers, it only reveals further depths to his honest to goodness genuineness. Mr Rogers hears and receives Tylers's cynicism and rather than becoming defensive or self justifying, responds only with empathy for the suffering that lies beneath it. Oh Mercy, he exclaims.
A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood, skillfuly resists applying bucketfuls of syrupy sentiment. Its a simple-hearted film and as touching as Mr Rogers is. Heartwarming in the very best meaning of that term. Yes, its a fantasy that might as well be, and frequently is, set in the fake model town animated in the opening credits. Its directed fully knowing exactly what its doing, skilfully crossing and blurring the boundaries between the fake reality of a TV stage, real life and back again. It owes a lot, and fully repays its indebtedness to, Its A Wonderful Life.
Mr Rogers is a thoroughly decent man. He has his faults, but he knows what they are, and how best to process and deal with them kindly. Poor Tyler, unbeknownst to him, is encountering someone resembling a living Bodhisattva, and he can't help but be changed by that.
Tom Hanks plays Mr Rogers with kindly beaming beatitude, grace and sympathy. It is never easy to portray a truly good person and avoid it becoming saintly unbelievable hokum, but he does. Hank's own public reputation as a humble good humoured man, backs up his performance here. It is what makes this film not just work, but be an absolute bloody uplifting joy to watch. You would have to be as hard hearted a cynic as Tyler Vogel not to like it.
CARROT REVIEW 8/8
Currently available to rent through the usual channels, or stream on Netflix.
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