sweet, nostalgic story of a rock band

Rating: 8/10 (23 August 2001)

My guess is that Tom Hanks is a really nice guy. He certainly seems like it when he's interviewed, and since he wrote and directed this movie, and it's really nice, too, that seems to be more evidence.
This is a very small movie. It has no pretensions, but just tells a simple story about a small-town band that makes good. It paints a nostalgic picture of the 60's -- I grew up in a small town during that time, and life wasn't so idyllic in my town -- but it isn't trying for gritty realism. The cast is attractive and more than adequate (some are quite good, including Hanks as the band's manager), and the story is observant enough to be an enjoyable confection. It's very nice family movie (my kids liked it, and so did I).