Tom Hanks yet again proves why he is Mr.Mainstream.

Rating: 1/10 (22 December 2000)

If you are a die hard movie addict (watch 4 + new movies a week) you will dislike this movie like I did.
This year produced many great original and or invative movies (The Cell, Traffic, Almost Famous and The Tao Of Steve) and many decent mainstream movies (X-Men, The Grinch and Meet The parents.)
Let's get back to the point just because a Tom Hanks, John Travolta, or Nick Cage is in a movie does it mean it will be good. I feel the best way to judge a movie is by who is in the supporting roles.
This movie casts Helen Hunt who herself has made good (As good as it gets) and not so good (Sexual Healing) but also cult favorites (Trancers 1,2,3). A reliable choice but I am sick of seeing this woman this year she was in 1. Dr. T and the Women 2.Pay It Forward and 3. What Women Want all released in the last quarter of the year. We saw so little of her since As Good As it gets and then it seems she took every role that came to her.
The rest of the cast really do not have any drawing power.
So the whole movie rests on Tom's back. Yes he can carry a movie. But can he carry it to the awards any more? I think not.
Tom did a DeNiro by changing his weight. (As many others have eg. Vincent D'Onofrio for full metal jacket) Which is hard to do and losing to look like he did in the movie is much harder then gaining. ( I give him that).
But in all respects this movie was MADE to make cry and not think. In my opinion a good movie should have you thinking about it after the lights come on.
As much as I was pulling for this movie I found it hard to like.
I hope Tom hooks up and makes a dramatic career change and play a brutal and sadistic killer in gory detail. (So he can take on more challenging roles after shattering his Mr.Mainsteam Title.)
But if you only go to the cinema once or twice a year this is the movie for you. After all my beef'en I still think this movie will get a couple of nods for the oscars because they needs tha mainsteam people ta watch!