The First Trailer for "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" Welcomes Tom Hanks with a Good Feeling

Sene from A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

It's that time again. It's the point where Tom Hanks returns to play a noble cultural icon whose intentions are pure of heart. In recent years, this has included Walt Disney (Saving Mr. Banks) and Captain Sullenberger (Sully) among others and reflects what the actor is best at. Hanks is someone who appears genuine in every performance, and once again with Fred Rogers, it appears like he's stuck his name in the ring for Best Actor yet again. Director Marielle Heller's A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is a biopic on the famous PBS host that is looking to cheer everyone up in the first trailer. While it's not quite as heartwarming as the real thing, it does seem like another time to be reminded of Hanks' gifts for sweetness. 

As far as cultural icons go, few have had quite a resurgence like Fred "Mister" Rogers. As evident by last year's breakout documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor, the figure has regained his place as this optimistic light in cynical times. There's nothing wrong with it, though one can't help but wonder why more contemporaries aren't as renowned at the moment for their gift of kindness. Yes, there are many activists out there who make a difference, but Mister Rogers was one of a kind personality who taught his audience to believe in themselves and gave them the gift of self-confidence. If anything, one can't help but wonder where the legacy of do-gooders ended up. Surely someone took up the mantle to make the world a brighter place.

While that question isn't yet answered, Heller has followed up her Oscar-nominated film Can You Ever Forgive Me with a Rogers biopic, largely in part because she found his presence to be familiar and warm. It also feels like opportune timing given the documentary. It also makes sense to cast Hanks in the lead role, who has generally been regarded as "America's Dad," and in the past decade gained a reputation for being a noble figure who portrays icons, not unlike James Stewart before him. He's had some controversial roles in that time, but Hanks is largely one of the few celebrities whose reputations seem unsullied by the Hollywood machine. In that regards, it makes sense to cast Hanks as the ultimate figure of wholesomeness.

Though the question that seems to be inevitable with his latest film is the one that plagues every film he's done in 18 years: will he get Oscar-nominated? The actor hasn't been nominated since Castaway in 2001, and many have been baffled why that is. After all, it's not like he gave up doing great work. It's arguable that films like Captain Phillips deserved more recognition because of Hanks. Still, it's an age-old question by this point, and it feels odd to have it be applied to this film, especially given how Saving Mr. Banks was almost a no-show at the Oscars for a film that likely will appeal to a similar audience. There's still potential and the cards may fall the right way, but Hanks has hit a wall of sorts with The Academy. Will he get nominated? Of everything he's done, it seems a bit safe if this was the one that did the trick.

Check out the trailer below:

Looks very sweet. Here's the plot description according to IMDb:

Based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod.

To be honest, any skepticism I share about Hanks is not directly applied to his capabilities. He's still a compelling force with a strong filmography. He's already released one of the year's best films in Toy Story 4. The question is whether he stands any chance of getting an Oscar nomination for a film that follows a similar pattern to something like Sully. Hanks still draws a crowd and critical reception is generally positive, but I wonder what The Academy will need to appreciate him as much as they did when they rewarded him with back-to-back wins in the 90s. If the challenging nature of Captain Phillips didn't do the trick, then what will? 

The good news is that the trailer is largely enjoyable and features something that is more than conventional. It's about the struggle to convince an outsider of optimism. Much like last year's documentary, it makes sense to focus on this trait. The modern era is a dreary one, and the idea of having any joy is difficult for some. Mister Rogers represents a rainbow in a clouded storm, and there's no denying that this will impact the overall experience of this biopic. Will it be Hanks' breakthrough performance for The Academy? One can hope, though it might send the wrong impression that all we want from Hanks is wholesome performances when his post-Oscar wins have been some of his most interesting work yet. It's a double-edged sword in that regards, though it will be nice to see Fred Rogers represented at the Oscars for his incredible work in TV.