A Smash Hit Summer Popcorn Flick, Without Explosions... What?

Some movies scream "summer" because of the ratio of explosions to dialogue. Others scream "summer" in less pleasant ways (see: Chinatown). If you're in the mood for some fluffy summer fun that's 100% combustion-free, look no further than Tom Hanks' directorial debut, That Thing You Do!

An oft-overlooked flick that many folks haven't heard of, I must have watched this film a good four times the year it came out on video. That Thing You Do! is the simple, pleasant story of a group of friends who accidentally form a band and accidentally get a hit single on their hands. It's sometime in the early sixties, and twentysomething Guy Patterson is his small New England town's local beatnik and jazz drummer extraordinaire, who's been working at his dad's appliance shop since finishing his tour of duty (it's implied that he served in the Korean War due to the time frame). When his buddies Jimmy, Lenny, and the nameless Bass Player - a.k.a The Wonders - lose their drummer the night of a big college talent show, they beg Guy to step in for a night. On stage, Guy unexpectedly replaces Jimmy's ballad-beat with something considerably more swingin', and the up-tempo, 60's rock 'n roll sensation That Thing You Do! is born. Before long, The Wonders are getting gigs all across town, and are soon signed to Play-Tone Records and touring the summer festival circuit with their hit single (and a few other tunes). Of course, this idyllic summer of dreams is destined to break down. They know they'll be losing the Bass Player at the end of the summer, when he starts a tour of duty in the Marine Corp, but long before that, Jimmy's primadonna attitude and Lenny's irresponsibility hasten The Wonder's imminent assignment to the dustbin of one-hit wonder history.

This film is about as deep as a petri dish, but what sets it apart is production quality. It's well-made, well-written, well-directed, and well-acted, and boasts a fantastically fun original soundtrack. It's also notable for making big breaks into feature films for Liv Tyler (seen here as Jimmy's girlfriend Faye), Steve Zahn (a fantastic and varied actor, see: Sahara and Rescue Dawn), and Giovanni Ribisi (whose tiny role as the original drummer was followed by lead roles in The Mod Squad, Gone in 60 Seconds, and Lost in Translation, and who was seen shortly after That Thing You Do! in a very memorable turn as the ill-fated medic in Saving Private Ryan). That Thing You Do! is one of those movies you can pop in anytime, anywhere, with anyone, and not worry about whether anyone will be offended or not have a good time. It would be a staple of my DVD collection, if I can ever find it for sale.