Categories: Movie News

Beloved Tom Hanks channels beloved Mr. Rogers in ‘A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD’

Courtney Howard // Film Critic

Everybody loves Tom Hanks. Everybody loves Fred Rogers. It makes sense that the beloved A-list actor is donning the beloved children’s programming pioneer’s iconic red sweater for director Marielle Heller’s A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. And in this new still released today, Hanks is right in the middle of Rogers’ opening number, where he arrives home to get casual, switching from dress shoes to tennis shoes.

Tom Hanks stars as Mister Rogers in TriStar Pictures’ A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. Photo by: Lacey Terrell

The above photo is uncanny compared to this photo of the man himself, during rehearsals of the opening of his PBS show ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’ during a taping in June 28, 1989, in Pittsburgh.

Fred Rogers rehearses the opening of his PBS show ‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’ during a taping in June 28, 1989, in Pittsburgh. Courtesy of the Associated Press.

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:

Two-time Oscar®-winner Tom Hanks portrays Mister Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, a timely story of kindness triumphing over cynicism, based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod. After a jaded magazine writer (Emmy winner Matthew Rhys) is assigned a profile of Fred Rogers, he overcomes his skepticism, learning about empathy, kindness, and decency from America’s most beloved neighbor.

A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD opens on November 22.

Courtney Howard

Courtney Howard is a LAFCA, CCA, OFCS and AWFJ member, as well as a Rotten Tomatometer-approved film critic. Her work has been published on Variety, She Knows and Awards Circuit.