I was browsing through the cast page of a Lord of the Rings
website recently and was disappointed to discover that whoever compiled
the list of film credits for each actor neglected to mention Elijah
Wood’s role as Huck Finn, the character with which I always identified
him prior to LotR. Now he is most widely recognized for
portraying one of the greatest characters in British literature, but I
would have thought one of the greatest characters in American literature
would have been worth mentioning as well. My disillusionment was
further exacerbated when my scanning of Liv Tyler’s bio revealed another
glaring omission: That Thing You Do. For some reason, this
family-friendly flick about a group of guys who hit the big time with a
catchy tune seems to be one of Tom Hanks’ most forgotten films. I
consider it nothing less than my civic duty to protest.
And
why is that? Because America’s favorite Guy Next Door decided to make a
movie set in my own little neck of the woods. Heck, I took piano lessons
at the very college where the fellas get their first big break in a
local talent show. I attended the high school of the same name. I’ve got
a personal connection to this movie, even if Hanks declined the offer
to premiere it in Erie at the newly built Tinseltown, at the time one of
the largest movie theaters in the country. Even if none of the filming
was actually done in Erie either. Even if most of the cast members have
probably never been to Erie and have no interest in ever checking it
out. Doggone it, it’s about hometown pride! Besides, it’s a pretty great
movie too.
When Art Garfunkel ventured to Erie back in 2000,
he caused the audience momentary confusion when he brought up “the
O-nee-ders,” the butchered pronunciation of the name the band in the
film chooses for itself. Once we caught the allusion to That Thing You Do,
Garfunkel went on to tell us how he liked the film because it reminded
him of his early days in the music business, ramming around England with
Paul and singing in the streets while their friend Kathy collected
money. There certainly is an air of youth and innocence about this film,
which takes place during the same general time when Art and Paul were
starting out. But this little band wasn’t destined to have quite the
same shelf life. The film chronicles the fictional foursome’s roller
coaster ride from obscurity to stardom and back again.
The key
player in the film is Guy Patterson (Tom Everett Scott), a likable
young man who bears a remarkable resemblance to Hanks. Passionate about
music but always butting heads with his father, he drowns his dreams in
the drudgery of tending the family store until a stupid prank leaves the
percussionist of a local band incapacitated. The band members just
happen to be friends of Guy’s and happen to be playing a big talent show
at Mercyhurst College that night, so they convince him to fill in. As
it turns out, Guy does for the soon-to-be-named-Oneders what Ringo did
for the Beatles, taking the band to a level it could not have achieved
with its old drummer. His fast-paced percussion turns That Thing You Do
from an insipid wannabe ballad into a catchy up-tempo number. It really
is an enjoyable song, though we probably hear it one too many times in
the course of the film. It was one of the first songs my brother learned
to play on the guitar. It’s easy to imagine such a tune rising through
the ranks of the pop charts.
The film’s focus remains largely
upon Guy, but it follows the whirlwind success of the Oneders, who soon
become the Wonders to avoid confusion. Its other members include Jimmy
(Jonathan Schaeck), the arrogant songwriter and bandleader; his
long-suffering girlfriend Faye (Tyler); the future GI bass player (Ethan
Embry); and Lenny (Steve Zahn), the lovable goofball with the maturity
of your average 6-year-old. We watch them soak up the thrills from
winning a talent show, landing local gigs, and recording a single to
hearing their song on the radio for the first time, setting off on a
nationwide tour and landing a spot on a show of the Ed Sullivan variety.
They are soon joined by Mr. White (Hanks), a no-nonsense manager who
puts them on the road to mass exposure but knows that an implied
“One-Hit” will soon precede their group moniker. He’s a savvy character,
with maybe just a touch of cynicism, but he’s pretty classy nonetheless
and serves as a good mentor for Guy, who’s left holding the drumsticks
when the band crumbles around him.
Despite the untimely demise
of the Wonders, the film is primarily a light-hearted romp through a
more innocent time, a clean comedy with a touch of romance and plenty of
good music to help it along its way. At its core, it’s a tribute to all
those corny pop groups of the Sixties who may not have lasted long but
sure had a good time getting to the top. And hey, it starts out in Erie.
Who could ask for anything more?
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