Wonderful, simple 1964 fable (yes, despite the end credits, a fiction) of how a band has an overnight success, which changes them all. In effect Tom Everett Scott has the eager beaver Hanks role, while the director himself is happy to play against type as the rather ruthless manager - an early try out for Elvis.
Those of us that have read Hanks' short stories will know that he's a good writer who favours humour, character and warmth, and he delivers that in spades here. Note for example how the original, broken-armed drummer (Giovanni Ribisi) is not only not bitter about his lost chance, but has been adopted by the new drummer's family! Note also the significance of the door man Obba Babatundé, amongst other things leading our protagonist to his jazz hero, Bill Cobbs.
There's something rather appealing about all this that we don't seem to find much any more - everything now has to be PC or woke or meta or allegorical. Thus you can't get a straightforward Barbie, Cruella has to be about fame and fashion, even something essentially harmless like All Creatures Great and Small is predictable and bland.
Anyway, ranting aside, Steve Zahn makes a good impression as the ebullient guitarist. The songs are good (some of them co-written by Hanks, including the wonderful pastiche 'Mr Downtown') and the period detail lovingly created (Victor Kempster). Jonathan Demme is on sure hand as a producer, thus his cameraman Tak Fujimoto is present.
Rest of cast: Liv Tyler, Jonathon Schaech, Ethan Embry, Charlize Theron, Rita Wilson.
Well edited by Richard Chew, music by Howard Shore.
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