A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
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A cynical journalist's perspective is transformed when he is assigned to profile the gentle television icon Fred Rogers.
The story
Lloyd Vogel, a cynical journalist for Esquire magazine, is assigned to interview television icon Fred Rogers for a short article about heroes. Lloyd, who is struggling with a strained relationship with his estranged father, finds the assignment beneath him. However, upon meeting Rogers, he is met with unexpected kindness and patience. As Lloyd attempts to expose Rogers' persona as a mere act, he is instead confronted with the man's genuine philosophy on life, forgiveness, and dealing with anger. The interaction begins to challenge Lloyd's cynical worldview as he navigates his own personal turmoil while navigating the gentle world of Fred Rogers.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After a physical altercation with his estranged father, Jerry, at a family wedding, cynical journalist Lloyd Vogel is assigned to interview Fred Rogers for Esquire. While Lloyd initially views the task as beneath him, Rogers' gentle demeanor and sincere concern for Lloyd's well-being begin to soften his defenses. During their time together, including a trip to New York, Rogers uses his experience to help Lloyd process his anger and the complexities of his relationship with his father. Following a series of personal revelations, Lloyd eventually seeks Rogers' counsel during a crisis involving his father's health. After a spiritual and emotional realization, Lloyd reconciles with his father and finds peace. The film concludes with Rogers finishing a tribute episode about Lloyd, and the publication of a 10,000-word article titled 'Can You Say... Hero?' by Lloyd.
- First release year
- 2019
- Runtime (minutes)
- 109
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Marielle Heller
- Writers
- Micah Fitzerman-Blue · screenplay; Noah Harpster · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Tom Hanks · Fred Rogers; Matthew Rhys · Lloyd Vogel; Susan Kelechi Watson · Andrea Vogel; Chris Cooper · Jerry Vogel; Maryann Plunkett · Joanne Rogers; Enrico Colantoni · Bill Isler; Wendy Makkena · Dorothy Vogel; Tammy Blanchard · Lorraine Vogel
- Genres
- biographical drama
- Themes
- forgiveness; father-son relationships; kindness
- Tone and mood
- heart-warming; gentle
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; journalism; television
- Source material / true-story basis
- The 1998 article 'Can You Say... Hero?' by Tom Junod, published in Esquire.
- Reception
- The film received positive critical acclaim, particularly for the performances of Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys, as well as Marielle Heller's direction and its heart-warming messages. It was also selected by Time magazine as one of the best films of the year.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 80 · scale: 100 · review count: 50; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Best Supporting Actor · Academy Awards · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was inspired by a 1998 Esquire article.; Tom Hanks performed extensive research, including watching hundreds of hours of footage of Fred Rogers.; The production used the actual Fred Rogers Studio at WQED.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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