A one-man show...

Rating: 6/10 (16 January 2001)

We all knew that Tom Hanks was the greatest actor of our generation before this movie was released. And again, Hanks delivers the goods. But were this a starring vehicle for any other actor, this movie would not be the box office smash it is. The heart of the movie, Hanks' fight for survival on a tiny Pacific island, is brilliant. What bookends the film, however, (much of which has been ruined by another ad campaign that shows TOO MUCH) pales not only in comparison to the rest of the film, but in comparison to just about any other film. Helen Hunt turns in a particularly uninspired performance with yet another sporadic attempt at an accent (this time vaguely Southern) that is as unnecessary as it is unconvincing. Were it not for Hanks' performance (which will certainly get him a deserved Oscar nod), this film would be easily set adrift by audiences.