Genres

Visitors Review

alanrayford 2012-05-24 21:50:39

Pleasantly predictable.

Larry Crowne is not a bad movie, per se. Tom Hanks and Julia Robertsafford their roles well. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wilmer Valderrama, Pam Grier,Bryan Cranston, George Takei, Taraji P. Henson, Cedric the Entertainerand the rest of the supporting players back them up admirably and fleshout the world this takes place in. The script keeps itself light,breezy and moves along. There are also quite a few laughs. While not ofthe raucous, belly laughing variety, the setups and punch-lines neverfailed to illicit a smile on my part.Larry Crowne also serves as a movie for the times. Many people here inthe states and abroad have indeed had to reinvent themselves duringthese hard times. So a movie about a man who's thrown to the wolves andfinds himself having to do the same does indeed deserve to exist; evenif it does romanticize the situation. So take that, Ebert.There's only one problem with Larry Crowne, and it sadly mars the hellout of what would otherwise be a totally enjoyable flick. The problemis from the moment Larry (Tom Hanks) and Professor Tainot (JuliaRoberts) first laid eyes on each other, even a blind man could see howthings were to end. Everything proceeds along a well worn path.Many have put Larry Crowne's lukewarm critical and commercial receptionon Hanks and Roberts playing it safe. But, I say nay. Forrest Gump andPretty Woman were a long time ago, and, since then, their star wattagehas faded tremendously. So comparing their current work to the stuffthey were doing 15-plus years ago is akin to comparing two completelydifferent actors.So what really is the basic problem with Larry Crowne and pretty muchall other movies that never stray far from the beaten path? The problemis it overstays its welcome. There is a point in the film, with aboutten minutes left, when the movie would've been wise to stop. Everythingwas in place. We all knew what was going to happen. All they had to doto save the production from being almost unbearably cookie cutter wasend it there, with that scene in the diner.But, no. Instead, Tom Hanks (co-writer/director) and Nia Vardalos(co-writer) opted to spend the final ten minutes clubbing the audienceover the head with what had been obvious since Larry first stumbledinto Professor Tainot's classroom. And, on these ten minutes, I'll cedeto Ebert's charge of them not needing to exist. Yet they do. And, indoing so, drag everything down into a syrupy blend of yadda yadda, beenthere-done that.Still, I can't bring myself to say Larry Crowne is a bad film. It'sjust a little too familiar for its own good. If you want to see aneasygoing flick which doesn't take any real investment to sit back andwatch for 100 minutes, this is a good pick. It's fun and easy todigest. It's also one hell of a good date flick, and infinitely moretolerable than anything with Ryan Gosling (excluding Drive). Just don'texpect to be fully engaged, even once, during its running time.Were it not for those last ten minutes, Larry Crowne would be a muchbetter movie that had just enough ambiguity to put off theby-the-numbers-plot. But those last ten minutes are there and lowerwhat should be a solid 8/10 down to a 6.8/10. Since IMDb doesn't allowfor decimal places, I'm rounding up to the above score.

peter 2012-05-24 11:06:29

A silly treatment of a serious issue

Tom Hanks, I would have expected much better from you. This is a light whimsical brush off of a very serious issue facing many Americans. It is handled in a childlike moronic way. Not much to recommend this made for TV low quality effort. The "romantic" aspect is predictable and simpleminded. Awful, just awful!

Robert W. 2012-05-23 04:51:39

Saved from awful-dom by the ever amazing Tom Hanks

Larry Crowne wasn't a financial disaster per se but it certainly didn'ttake off the way they likely expected it to with two enormous stars andthe directive control of Tom Hanks himself. When I finally got aroundto seeing the movie I could completely understand the feelings ofmediocrity that people had with this movie. Another IMDb reviewersummed it up by saying the film was so happy in its mediocrity and thatis so true. Julia Roberts gives one of her worst performances in mymemory as the completely unlikable and downright mean Mercedes Tainot.Its no wonder fans couldn't rush out to see a romance between thesweetest guy on the planet and a complete and utter jerk who is playedby someone we are used to seeing as a sweetheart. Tom Hanks truly savedthis movie by playing the completely docile and adorable Larry Crowne.He literally borders on being child like he is so sweet in this moviebut he pulls it off and you can enjoy him in every scene that he easilysteals. Roberts and Hanks have chemistry but her character is justawful. The supporting cast is decent though no one truly stands out andthe sub-characters lack any real characteristics worth mentioning.Overall...very slow pace, an odd romance, and an unlikable characterfrom America's Sweetheart means this isn't for everyone. It is justsimply...okay. 6.5/10

2012-05-22 10:15:52

Hanks Tackles the Economy and Romance in a Facile Feel-Good Dramedy

The tepid reviews that this 2011 dramedy is receiving have been pervasive, yet there is something innately Capraesque about Tom Hanks' sophomore directorial effort, his first since 1996's That Thing You Do!. The movie proudly wears its heart on its sleeve, and the commitment that Hanks shows in his character's plight goes a long way to compensate for the episodic, by-the-numbers screenplay co-written by Hanks and Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding). The screenplay is what makes the film a bit disheartening to watch since its amiable nature and can-do sensibilities don't produce much in the way of compelling conflict. The concept appears timely, but the treatment feels like a Hollywood studio-manufactured version of what happens when sudden unemployment and economic hardship alter your reality.The title character is a divorced man in his mid-fifties who is the ideal employee in a Walmart-type store after spending nearly twenty years as a cook in the Navy. Thinking he was about to win another employee of the month award, Larry finds out that he is the victim of a downsizing ostensibly due to his lack of a college degree being told he has reached his maximum growth potential with the store. In order to ensure that he never has this problem again, Larry enrolls in a local community college where is advised to take an introductory economics course and a class on public speaking where he meets a lovely but disillusioned professor named Mercedes Tainot, herself dealing with a bad marriage and a drinking problem. Larry also acquires a scooter and attracts the strictly platonic attention of a fellow student named Tania, a free spirit who is a member of a harmlessly hip scooter gang and makes him over to look more fashion forward.Little time is spent on Larry's actual economic situation, and Hanks uses the convenient device of a pretentious loan officer (played comically by his wife, Rita Wilson) to explain what Larry has to do to curtail his sinking mortgage payments. Along the way, he finds a job as a line cook at a diner, makes new friends, and learns to loosen up a little and enjoy the small things in life. At first, Hanks as an actor appears to be in Forrest Gump mode as Larry, avuncular and docile to the point of appearing mentally challenged, but then he gravitates toward his You've Got Mail character when he sets out to win Roberts' heart. As Mercedes, Roberts seems to be sliding into middle age a lot smoother than I would have expected from an actress whose popularity peaked a decade ago. She's certainly a lot more endearing here than she was in her navel-gazing exercise last year, Eat Pray Love.Gugu Mbatha-Raw is appealing as Tania, but her character is probably the most unbelievable in the story. As Larry's constantly huckstering neighbor, Cedric the Entertainer is used primarily for comic relief, while Taraji P. Henson has a barely-there role as his perky wife. So does Pam Grier who provides her earthy presence all far too briefly as Mercedes' fellow faculty member. Bryan Cranston has the predictable role of Mercedes' porn-surfing, no-account husband and plays him exactly to formula. George Takei steals several scenes as the self-absorbed economics professor, while Wilmer Valderrama appears to be upending his role as Fez on That '70s Show as Tania's innocuously jealous boyfriend. By the way, it's hard to miss Grace Gummer as one of the students since she is a carbon copy of her mother Meryl Streep's younger self. The movie rallies in the second half of its 99-minute running time, but despite a heavy likeability factor due to its stars, I wish there was less Hollywood fairy tale dust in the story.

folsominc2 2012-05-21 19:01:39

Modern times represented in Larry Crowne

Larry Crowne is one of those movies that really show the modern timesas they are.Almost any modern movie these days, viewers have to worry about whatthey are walking into and will be seeing. Several times I have paidgood money to see a movie and then regretted even wasting a dollar –that is if movies would even cost a dollar.Nevertheless, the blurb of a man who loses his job and ends up goingback to school and, therefore, takes better control over his life wasan irresistible theme to watch how it would play out. Many of us havebeen in this position and the numbers are increasing in this directionevery day.Tom Hanks played this role as Larry Crowne, written by Hanks and NiaVardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) very well from demonstrating at theoutset that he was a professional, hardworking individual who getsdealt a lousy hand. Individuals who get stuck in the same predicamentbecause something in life prevented them from obtaining a collegedegree, understands this theme even more than other common movieattendees. Toward the end of the movie when he sees one of his rivalsundergoing a similar issue, his reaction is stupendous and envious ofeven the more embittered unemployed.Frankly, the Julia Roberts character was also prevalent of the timeswhere working women nowadays often have to support deadbeat husbands –but mainly "boyfriends" – who live off their women's salaries whileundertaking extracurricular activities with someone else.Unfortunately, this is a recurring problem that is happening more andmore frequently in the current times where women will do anything inorder to keep a man, even allow his disrespect of their homes, wages,bodies and sometimes their children.I found the rather humorous subplot of the alternative transportationand subsequent group rather lightening for such a sometimes downheartened plot of economic issues and modern American culture.Nevertheless, the entire movie, which sometimes seems not to "go"anywhere at times, is a good demonstration of the times and a man andwomen, beaten down by their own personal demons, still fighting andstruggling to gain what they need to continue forward.Other notable mentions in the movie were the facts of spouses andfamiliar faces to the other actors and writers, the overall lack ofmoralistic controversial issues that would have strayed from the theme,and the forward movement thinking that over 40 or over 50 does not meanyou are dead.Unfortunately, some dislikes I had for this particular movie was thefree-spirited young girl leaving school to open her own shop when shecould become much more business-minded by completing her education, andthus learning how to avoid issues that might crop up in the industry.Another item that seemed to be mentioned more than once was the racialreferences to the African-Americans "lack of opportunity because of thecolor of their skin." I found that rather insulting at times during themovie.As one viewer said, "This was a light-hearted movie that didn't needextra emotional material but was able to still convey an overall themeof issues that are facing almost 10 percent of the American workforce."Many times when sequels are developed from good plots, viewers oftenquestion why add something that will perhaps diminish the good of theoriginal movie plot. However, at the end of Larry Crowne, I am hopingthat there will be sequel which would demonstrate more of the state ofour country's economic affairs and perhaps see the character, LarryCrowne, establishing himself as a an eventual teacher.

rugg-1 2012-05-21 11:41:00

disappointing

I am a Tom Hanks fan (Julia Roberts, not so much, but then I don't havethe necessary Y chromosome). So I was ready to like this little film. Ididn't expect much from it, but what I got was less than I expected.Wooden dialogue, unbelievable situations and characters andrelationships, and one the worst-ever representations of teaching andthe classroom environment. I am a teacher, so perhaps I wasparticularly sensitive to the clumsy efforts to show what it is like towork in a classroom. Julia Roberts' character a great teacher whochanges lives for the better? Not really. Try drunk, cynical, angry,disaffected and generally unpleasant and ornery. You would have to bestill blissed out from Pretty Woman to see anything redeeming in her. Afinal consisting of a two minutes' speech on potatoes? I hope not. TheGeorge Takei character was another unbelievable cardboard figure. Thefilm both wants to say something sincere and real about the economicdownturn and wants to entertain us on a very superficial level. Intrying to do both, it fails at both.

Mahmoud_Buttrumps 2012-05-20 07:52:16

This one seems to be an attempt to create a blockbuster to earn some cash.

Why do I never learn? Why do I keep going to Tom Hanks films, when theydisappoint so consistently? My latest Tom Hanks mistake is an unfunnycomic caper named "Larry Crowne". After the debacles that were "TheGreen Mile", "Forrest Gump", "Turner & Hooch", now comes this newatrocity from Hanks himself in the director's seat, who earlier hadmade the rotten-only-in-patches film "That Thing You Do!" (what's withthe atrocious title?), a genial American take on "Phir Hera Pheri".Somehow I evaded "The Ladykillers". Even I could tell that Hanks plusthe blandly beautiful and seriously wooden Julia Roberts would be anindustrial-strength double whammy to be avoided at any cost.So, I'm a total loser for going to watch Tom Hanks movies. It's justthat he appears to have absolutely no instinct for choosing good films,and sometimes, inspite of this, he ends up in a competent entertainer("The Shawshank Redemption", "The Bonfire of the Vanities" "CinderellaMan" was a guilty pleasure...tacky, but Melanie Griffith wasfascinating. Hanks was very good in "The Polar Express", co-starring anempty, souless landscape.), but mostly he works in simply dreadfulmovies. At the wrap of each awful flick, he probably drawls, "I'll havemy check now, thank you very much!" and toddles off to the nextexcruciatingly bad film, gummy grin and all.Rob Riggle, Sy Richardson, and the ever reliable Boman Irani (playing aGujarati businessman, this time) are the other men in this movie with afrat boy sensibility. And for the frat boys, we must have bodaciousbabes, so the polished and professional Roxana Ortega, the usuallysmart and sensuous Sarah Mahoney, and the sexy, but frankly terribleJulie Wagner, a fully clothed Tina Huang (hello!), and Lilette Dubeyare roped in to do the needful.To be fair, there is about 10 minutes of delightful nonsense, whenpractically the entire cast lands up under various pretexts at ameeting with Hanks to chat up the titular "Larry Crowne" and I didlaugh out aloud once, but that meant sitting through 1.5 hours toarrive at the funny bit, and then another 45 or so minutes when thingswent back to being unamusing.The movie is full of loopholes and flaws. We were expecting somethrilling drama, and not a grade Z movie.I don't know if these observations have anything at all to do with"Larry Crowne", but I felt like letting off some steam after beinggypped yet again by an Tom Hanks movie. See if you can neatly side-stepthis mess...

two1790 2012-05-19 18:46:29

Mixed Feelings

I did enjoy the movie and before reading other reviews I was going torate it much higher. However, I did agree with some of the morenegative reviews. I believe this film was supposed to be taken morelight-hearted and not as a serious romantic blockbuster. I'm not goingto dwell on the positives because yes it was an all around happy film.But as others have pointed out there could have been more research onreality and how things really work. The 2 big issues was the way theschool functioned, and the whole development of Larry Crowne joiningsome silly scooter gang. Without any explanation, I just wish thatHanks would have done more investigating into how college actuallyfunctions and that the idea of a scooter gang is dumb.The last big issue was that you could clearly see from the verybeginning that hanks was going to get roberts. There wasn't a singleproblem or conflict that arised. A simple addition could be that mayberoberts never divorced her husband yet. Why is it that the same nighthanks meets roberts, is also the same night she fought with her husbandand divorced him? Absolutely no drama between hanks and roberts either.Well maybe they were a "match made in heaven", but in reality there'salways going to be disagreements.

atwell-m-stacey 2012-05-18 21:42:11

I actually got an IMDb account so that I can talk about how much I HATE THIS MOVIE!

SPOILERS************************(Even though there is nothing to spoil)First off, what is with everyone liking this movie? I was almostsubject to tears after realizing that people genuinely enjoyed thisvile, annoying abomination.What the devil happened in this movie? NOTHING! NOTHING NOTHING! Theonly reason why I didn't slip into a comma was because I washysterically laughing at how awful the acting, story or script was.That Snapping Moped gang that Tom Hanks is accepted in wasunforgettably brilliant. Oh wait, did I say brilliant I meant to sayridiculous.How was he liked by everyone in college to the point where I thoughtgirls were going to orgasm in the hallways just by looking at him? FEZmakes an appearance as FEZ with a leather jacket, facial hair andeven more homosexually charged than ever. Although in the movie he wasportrayed as a tough heterosexual snapping biker. What?I'll never go down the dairy section in the grocery aisles because I'mnow lactose intolerant from the pure cheese this movie stuffs down yourthroat. Or should I say French toast? HAHAHAHhahahhahah Tom Hanks wrotethat "funny" himself.I feel I am now subject to starting a cult following that willERADICATE this movie from earth. I sentence these two actors to havingto watch this movie on repeat for eternity however; they would probablylove that too much because they are extremely egotistical. Instead ofJulia and Tom being the leading roles they will both be replaced bythat Asian Economy instructor.

LAWRENCE 2012-05-18 11:18:09

Entertaining summer fun!

If you're looking for car crashes, mind blowing deafening special effects, profane dialogue with meaningless sex, don't go. This is an adult comedy with a pick me up message that bad things happen and by making changes, you can turn your own luck around. I thought Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts were good together. I recommend it. I found it entertaining, light and positive.

Ross Dunne 2012-05-18 02:37:30

Great summertime fare

I liked this very gentle summer comedy about a good man who rebuildshis life following his dismissal from a large retail store. Judgingfrom reviews posted on this movie, there seems to be a mindset thatmovies have to pass rigid reality checks. I love all kinds of moviesand this one doesn't pretend to be more than two hours of fun.Larry, played by Tom Hanks, is the type of guy we'd all like to have asa friend and when he gets fired, the audience is cheering for him toget back up. And so he does! In the process, he goes to college, joinsa scooter pack, defaults on his mortgage, and makes some usefulcontacts. The plot is as uncomplicated as it can be and yet this movienever takes a pause. Julia Roberts is very good as Larry's publicspeaking teacher, who is suffering from a malaise in her professionaland personal life. Her relationship with Larry ignites a spark in bothof them as they recover from failed relationships. The classmates, thebikers, and the people he meets in his new job as a cook are the bestmedicine a guy in Larry's predicament could have. There are lots oflaughs and feel-good moments but underneath, is the story of amiddle-aged man who suffers the humiliation that many others haveexperienced. Go see it for good entertainment about an ordinary guywith a lot of spunk.

alphagenie 2012-05-17 11:37:08

A gentle, slow-burn comedy with one beautifully played drunk scene.

Basically I agree with Jake III about this film. If people expectbroad, slapstick humour, this is the wrong film for them. I realise I'min the minority here, but a friend and I went to see this film as a wayof ignoring a dull, rainy Friday evening, and we loved this film.What I particularly liked was the way that, after the initial sacking,there was a gentle re-orientation as we are introduced to thecharacters and the situations they find themselves in. Tom Hanksmanages to be funny while still retaining a degree of dignity indefeat. Hanks also made Larry's gradual re-evaluation of his lifeengaging, and it was relief that the film DIDN'T end with a magical winon the lottery, or some other unlikely return to financial security.Julia Roberts' performance reminded me that she can really act and thatshe has a nicely nuanced touch for comedy. The second leads were alsoengaging, though the neighbour with the permanent garage sale seemed tocome from a broader genre. The young actors playing the Afro-Latinocouple made the most of their opportunities. Settings: for once we were spared the sight of middle-to-low earnersliving in improbably luxurious surroundings. The locations had beenwell thought out and according to Tom Hanks' website, Larry's scooterwas the genuine beaten-up article. Maybe the fact that I'm of an age to know a bit about enforced mid-lifechanges helps, but I really liked this movie and think it deserves abetter rating.

winterslacker 2012-05-17 12:40:39

Not What I Expected

At first, I didn't understand why this movie got such low ratings; thenI watched it. I expected more from this movie. Again, the trailerpreview was misleading. There were a couple of funny moments, but JuliaRoberts was behind the majority of them; she stole the movie with herexhausted lack of care in her career as a college professor; that, andher expressions and reactions were just hilarious. She makes it lively.I also can't believe Tom Hanks directed, co-wrote, and starred as themain character in this movie. That's amazing. I think he did a good jobconsidering the time and effort involved for all three roles. I feltLarry Crowne's every emotion. In my opinion, that's what makes a greatmovie.

Shankru_Spam_Begone 2012-05-16 22:46:34

Courageous, but kinda irritating and immature, audiovisual essay

Sadly for Larry Crowne, I saw "Koyaanaqatsi", another R audiovisualmetaphorical essay, before this one.While I found "Koyaanaqatsi" so brilliant and fascinating that itinstantly went up to the top 10 of my favorite movies list, I didn'tcare that much for Larry Crowne.It's still a very interesting essay, and has the great merit to be thefirst cinematic attempt (that I know of) to "talk" without words *atall*(there are a bunch of movies out there that do this, actually, butonly in some scenes - like in "the Red shoes" or "2001")... but LarryCrowne can't compete with Koyaanaqatsi, that is not only much betterconceived and directed, but has a much more adequate musical score.Sorry guys, but this is no Philip Glass score, to my ears, it's simplyvery poor, almost sloppy. And it never goes along with the visualnarrative, it just plays like if it had nothing to do with the imagesshown, which I found very annoying. I think the guy had it 100% rightin "Candyman", though. Not so here.Larry Crowne is indeed a very interesting experience, and has of coursegorgeous cinematography and stunning images (and an incredible namethat I have to copy'n paste, LOL), but if you want the "real stuff", gofor Fricke's more mature and deeply moving masterpiece, "Koyaanaqatsi".

jhamman 2012-05-14 22:07:38

Surprisingly Fun Movie to Watch!

I have to be in a rare mood to watch romantic comedies but I could notpass up the chance to see what I would consider both the King and Queenof ROM COMs on the screen together -- Hanks and Roberts. Although theyworked together in "Charlie Wilson's War", this film may be a first inthat they are in a romantic comedy opposite one another.This movie exceeded my expectations! It was an extremely fun experienceand the humorous pace was very consistent throughout. There were neverpredictable lapses that one comes to expect with a romantic comedy.Very cleaver humor throughout.I would have to say that it would have been hard for anyone other thanHanks and Roberts to pull off, because much of the humor wassituational and went deeper than cheap one-liners. The emotionalexpression displayed by two of the best actors in the business madethis movie work.Veterans may like this one as well, and not just for the theme about aNavy veteran coming to grips with life. There were two former MarineCorps Public Affairs Officers -- Dale Dye and Rob Riggle. Riggle wasonce again at the top of his game and it was refreshing to see Dye showhis range as an actor beyond military roles.The only negative comment I would make is the color seemed like it wasoff a bit. It may have been the effect they were aiming for or it couldhave been the theater I saw it in, but it seemed like what you wouldget in a 110 camera for those of us old enough to remember them.Also, Cedric the Entertainer seemed to be billed heavily butunderutilized.Overall, this was a sweet, engaging but most of all hilarious film. Iam not easily moved but I had to dab the corners of my eyes a few timesdue to inspiration vs. sadness.I highly recommended catching this film in the theaters because I thinkthis will develop a cult following. Trust me, you don't simply want toearmark this for when the DVD comes out or you will miss out on thechatter about this one.

2012-05-14 18:53:29

It led to lunch with Julia (sort of)

LARRY CROWNE is a light romantic comedy - with considerable emphasis on "light" - starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts that continues a genre in which Tom's earlier films with Meg Ryan (Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail) were hits. Except that LARRY CROWNE isn't as good as those previous two. Perhaps it's the aging of the target audience, or that Roberts doesn't have quite the same chemistry with Hanks as Ryan did, or I'm just getting cantankerous.Here, Tom plays Larry Crowne, a forty-something employee of U-Mart fired because he hasn't a college education and has reached his ceiling with the company. Everything thus dumps on Larry at once: the needs for more education and a new job and the painful necessity to rid himself of a house on which he owes more than it's worth.To get the book learning, Crowne enrolls in a local community college. One of his classes teaches off-the-cuff speaking, and is taught by Mercedes Tainot (Roberts). Tainot is suffering both professional and husband burnout. Her spouse Dean (Bryan Cranston) is ostensibly a stay-at-home writer, but he spends his days viewing Internet soft-porn featuring busty babes. The last straw for Mercedes comes when his retort in a nasty verbal spat is that she's flat-chested. In the meantime, Larry, a former Navy commissaryman, i.e. cook, gets a gig as a short-order chef at a coffee shop.Both Larry and Mercedes each need to kick-start a new life. They're made for each other. Perhaps the best scene involving the two is when Mercedes asks Larry if he wants to kiss her. As it plays out, we realize the depths of their respective needs.While the movie is amusing, inoffensive and cute - and Roberts remains the eternal "pretty woman" - the problem for me was that it was too cute and improbable. A neighbor of Crowne's, Lamar (Cedric the Entertainer), apparently runs a 24/7 flea market in his front yard. Since it's a nice, middle-class neighborhood, in real life I'd have to believe the local homeowner's association would have a cease and desist order slapped on Lamar faster than he could say, "For you, only ten bucks."Also featured is a scooter gang (as opposed to a motorcycle gang), a member of which (Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Talia) works to bring out the inner Larry. A scooter gang? Really? How adorable is that?Perhaps the best role is played by George Takei (of TV's Star Trek: Original TV Series [Blu-ray] as Economics professor Dr. Matsutami. He's weird and a bit creepy in an endearing sort of way; it's a nice spin on what might otherwise have been a ho-hum supporting effort.Of greater interest to me were the film's shooting locations, a couple of which were recognizable as being very local to my own residence.The "U-Mart" exterior shots were actually of a K-Mart on San Fernando Road in Burbank. Obviously, the signage was changed perhaps because the latter didn't want to be seen as the evil corporation capable of firing educational low achievers and/or giving lovable Tom Hank's in any guise the heave. The coffee shop that hired Larry was depicted as "Frank's", an eatery that really exists also in Burbank on Olive Avenue. In one scene, Mercedes occupies a booth consuming a meal just cooked-up by Crowne. So, the week after I saw the film, I stopped in for lunch. As I was the only customer, I was able to sit in the same booth in the exact spot as Julia Roberts. For a brief, giddy moment, I felt close to greatness and a chill went down my spine. (Well, perhaps it was the air conditioning after coming in out of upper-90s heat.) One of the waitresses, who was working Frank's in 2010 during the filming, was thrilled that she'd had a (very) small appearance in the final cut and that Hanks, who'd also directed, had taken to heart a couple of her suggestions as to how a coffee shop is actually run. You're a star, girl!The patty melt, by the way, was excellent.LARRY CROWNE is no more than a mediocre entertainment vehicle deserving three stars if one ignores the presence of the two showbiz titans in the cast. But, with Tom and Julia - both deservedly beloved by American (and international) filmgoers - one must elevate the flick to four stars. I mean, to do otherwise would be to similarly say that anything ordinary that Jimmy Stuart and Audrey Hepburn - I date myself here - might have appeared in together was marginal dross. That just isn't coming from me.

kosmasp 2012-05-13 23:54:20

Crown(e) achievement

It's an obvious wordplay. It's as obvious and predictable as the movieitself. Which is not a good thing. But in the end it was my fault. If Ihad seen that Nia Vardalos was responsible for the script (with TomHanks it has to be said), I should have known what was coming ... Inhindsight a bad decision even watching it.Silly jokes (all digestible by even a 1-year old, because they havebeen dumped down that much), a plot that is as boring as it sounds,characters with no believable arcs or overdrawn (the "bad husband", thewatered down biker etc.), put together make for a viewing that wasanything but enjoyable. Don't get me wrong, there will be quite a lotof people who might not feel the same way as I did and like thislightweight of a movie (to put it nicely) and I like Tom Hanks andJulia Roberts in general ... just not in stuff like this ...

gradyharp 2012-05-13 02:37:38

Back to Point A

LARRY CROWNE is not a bad movie, it is simply an unremarkable movie.Seeing the opening credits read 'A Tom Hanks Production', and 'writtenby Tom Hanks (with Nia Vardalos)', 'directed by Tom Hanks', 'starringTom Hanks', with cameos by Rita Wilson (Mrs. Tom Hanks) and Chet Hanks(son of Tom Hanks), we know we are in for a 'Tom Hanks family outing'.So expect a feel good flick - and that is what is delivered. Not thatfeel good flicks are a bad thing - in this particular time we need moreof them. But LARRY CROWNE seems to candy coat the current major problemof economic disaster by making it funny. It's not.Larry Crowne is a happy-go-lucky top employee of a Walmart/Target/HomeDepot type store named UMart, voted best employee of the month ninetimes, and suddenly is laid off because he has no college educationthat would allow him to advance in the ranks of management of the hugemegapolis-everything store (Larry spent 20 years in the Navy as a cookinstead of going to college). Recently divorced, he owes money on hishouse (his discussion with the bank is in the person of Rita Wilson!),and he is unable to find work. Larry decides to enroll in the localcommunity college where he mets the pixie-like Talia (Gugu Mbatha-Raw,a sparkling personality on screen) and her boyfriend Dell Gordo (WilmerValderrama) and their little motor scooter gang (including GraceGummer, another of Meryl Streep's daughters). Talia takes Larry underher wing, dresses him like a college student and spiffs up his homewhile attending the same classes as Larry - Econ (with the weaselly DrMatsutani played to the hilt by George Takei), and Speech taught byMercedes (Mercy) Tainot (Julia Roberts) who is usually hungover, drinkstoo much in order to tolerate her useless husband (Bryan Cranston), andtries every trick to get out of teaching her disinterested students.Larry's developing new self (he has a job as a short order cook in adiner now) meets the change factor in his life - Mercy - who because ofhis kindness and gentlemanly ways attracts Mercy. That of courseprogresses into predictable situations. The other aspect of the film that is actually the most touching is therelationship between Larry and his neighbors Lamar (Cedric theEntertainer) and Bella (Taraji P. Henson) who are in a constant stateof yard sale: these two actors provides some of the finest scenes inthe film. Larry Crowne joins Talia and Dell Gordo in a motor scootergang, changes his appearance and outlook, and with the help of his newrelationship with Mercy he manages to come up happy. In the end thefilm (despite some good cameo roles) pretty much wastes Hanks andRoberts in an out of focus antidote to the current state of massunemployment. LARRY CROWNE tries hard but the bumbling big bird of anairplane just never makes it off the ground. Grady Harp

thegreyeagle 2012-05-12 02:05:35

Larry Crowne is refreshing

Reading some of the reviews before hand left me wondering how bad thismovie might be. I do like both Hanks and Roberts so was willing to seeit anyway. I was actually pleasantly surprised at the film. The peoplewho didn't like it either didn't understand the message, or were toobusy expecting it to be something it wasn't. The mistake people makegoing into this is thinking it is just supposed to be some love story.It's really so much more than this. Both main characters learnedvaluable lessons about life, and about who they are, and what they needto do to go forward, and how they can start anew. Well written,directed and acted. The characters were real and the film really gotinto the sincerity of them. I enjoyed my experience immensely. I giveit an 8 of 10

jillwozhere 2012-05-11 19:27:53

Good for insomniacs

Don't get me wrong... Tom Hanks is great! By far my favourite actor infact, in terms of both versatility and talent. However this movie wasvery dull. I battled to keep my eyes open, especially listening to thespeeches. I'm guessing politicians take that class? I couldn't faultthe acting of any member of the cast and it had a couple of lightslightly amusing moments, but the story line was more boring thanwatching grass grow. I loved the look Larry gave when he was put off.It was a look of heartfelt demoralization and devastation. I hope ifTom reads this review he does not get that same look on his face. SorryTom, but one of my faults is my candid honesty. If it were me I wouldrespect the same.