Hanks needs better material

Rating: 6/10 (25 December 2000)

Tom Hanks is fine in Cast Away. It's too bad the script is another of Zemeckis's uplifting pieces of puffery.
Hanks does a fine job in the center of the film, the portion devoted to his stranding on an island, with little hope of return to civilization. Here the character is well drawn and his strength of determination is admirable. It is when he is rescued that the film falls apart. Instead of all the product pushing of Fed-Ex and his evident affection for those responsible for the loss of a large chunk of his life, it would be a great deal more satisfying to see him getting a high powered lawyer to sue the blazes out of them. It is time for Hanks to stop being likeable and take the role of a thoroughly despicable character. He runs the risk of continuing to be the Jimmy Stewart of this generation. One of those was enough. No more treacle!