When you think of depictions of heroes in film, a red cardigan doesn’t immediately come to mind…but maybe it should. There’s a lot to be said for Fred Rogers’ enduring legacy that there’s renewed interest in his life and philosophy, nearly 20-years after his passing. The 2018 critically acclaimed and publicly adored documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor? took a behind-the-scenes look at his life and career through interviews and archival footage. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood does none of that, instead, focusing on one wonderfully heartwarming story of friendship, forgiveness, and the wide spectrum of emotions in between.
Despite the high profile subject and the equally high profile actor taking on the role, there wasn’t nearly as much buzz surrounding this film as I would have thought. Obviously, Tom Hanks was great as Mr. Rogers. The cadence, the mannerisms, and just the overall vibe were pitch-perfect. He deserves all the praise he’s received and it’ll be incredibly difficult to vote against him during awards season but, contrary to popular belief, this isn’t a Mr. Rogers biopic. He’s actually not even the main character. This story is really about a magazine reporter and the unlikely friendship he develops with the children’s TV icon.
It would have been easy to make this a risk-averse feel-good drama but Director Marielle Heller made some fantastic creative choices in telling this story written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster. We are introduced to our main character and his problem by Rogers, on set, as if it were the beginning of an episode. It gave the movie a uniquely interesting pulse right from the start and served to disarm even the most guarded of audience members. The straightforward approach was right there for the taking but even all the B-roll footage you’d typically see in between scenes is shot with “The Neighborhood” inspired miniature sets. One of the most challenging things to accurately portray on film is what’s going on inside someone’s head but there are some dreamy sequences depicting heavy psychological burdens that reminded me of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The visual signature thoughtfully captured the turmoil in an interesting and refreshing way that really helped communicate the substance of this particular narrative. The screenplay was already strong but Heller really brought it all to life in spectacular fashion and is deserving of Best Director consideration but it looks like that probably won’t happen.
As for our main character, Llyod Vogel, that honor fell on Matthew Rhys (The Americans) and he fit the bill perfectly. He’s introduced as a pretentious dick and it’s incredibly offputting but that’s the point. It’s his growth arc, spurred by his interaction with Rogers, that’s really at the center of this story. Vogel is hiding much of his emotion in order to protect himself and it’s ultimately rewarding the see those barriers start to crack after prolonged exposure. Opposite the great and powerful Tom Hanks, Rhys did more than hold his own in what amounts to his highest-profile movie role so far. Why they decided to create the character of Lloyd instead of just going with the writer’s real name is beyond me since it’s clearly displayed in the film’s tag line. Either way, the Welshman put his stamp on this film despite the larger-than-life Hanks/Rogers amalgam sharing scenes with him.
It was important to give Rhys support in the way of strong performers, besides Hanks, and Casting Director Avy Kaufman made sure that happened. Oscar-winner Chris Cooper played the father Lloyd was so intent on hating for many years. After the untimely passing of Llyod’s mother, their relationship dissolved into a whirlpool of resentment that festered in both of them. Cooper wears the pain of a man who’s hated himself for a long time but his desire for catharsis is readily apparent. He was great in this role that really helped define the journey of his on-screen son. Susan Kelichi Watson doesn’t get enough credit for just how good she’s been over the years on This Is Us but she got to show off her substantial talent on a big stage, for the first time in four years, and she didn’t disappoint. The character isn’t nearly as deeply layered as the one she has played on TV for the last four seasons but there’s a familiarity there. Playing Lloyd’s wife, you often wonder why she’s with him through the beginning of the film but the intimacy of their relationship grows over time. These two roles, in particular, were essential in painting Llyod as a redeemable character.
The production design by Jade Healy and costume design by Arjun Bhasin punctuated those character designs in subtle ways. Lloyd is in a dark place when we meet him and his outfit reflects that. He stands out against the colorful backdrop of “The Neighborhood” and specifically Fred in his iconic red sweater. The character is often shot in the dark to accentuate his isolation but his scenes with Fred are shot during the daytime, usually with strong backlighting. Those subtle visual cues help steer the subconscious in the right direction and serve as the finishing touches on a very well made film.
While this isn’t a holiday-themed film, it fits the mold of what you’d want the ideal holiday movie to be. It’s warm, funny, emotional, and it has a nice redemption arc. It’s even rated PG which is great for families but you don’t really notice the PG-ness of it. I’m still surprised I haven’t been hearing more about this movie in the public sphere but it’s right up there with the best movies of the year.
Recommendation: If you haven’t seen it yet and you’re looking for something to go see over the Holidays, this is an excellent choice. It’s probably much better if you’re familiar with Mr. Rogers but, even if this is your introduction to him, the film succeeds on its own merit.