that thing you do !
, from first - time film director tom hanks , is an enjoyable tale about a fictional band , the wonders , that goes from a garage band to the band with the fastest selling album in the country .
but , the question arrises , will the seduction of fame and fortune corrupt the band and lead them to become just another one - hit wonder , or will they stick together and become the next teen sensations ?
the " oneders " , as they are originally known , have their first gig at a very small - time contest .
jimmy , the lead singer , has written a catchy song and intends to play it at the contest .
but , a short time before the contest begins , the current drummer becomes injured and a replacement is needed .
enter guy patterson , skilled musician who currently works at his father 's appliance store and is looking to break free from the restricting clutches that bind him .
he seems to fit in well , until the group takes the stage .
when they begin to play , guy 's beat is much too fast and the pace is way off for the intended song .
it looks as though the group is doomed to failure .
but , the " new " song is a hit !
this leads to another gig , and soon enough , the group has an agent .
he does n't do too much for them , but they do get their song played on the radio .
eventually , mr .
white of playtone records approaches the group , and he informs them that they want to release a record .
before you can say " billboard " , the band is now renamed " the wonders " and the members are speeding their way to fame .
the gigs are getting better , their fame is increasing , and they have the fastest selling album in playtone records history .
the band is invited to appear in a feature film , and , they then fly out to hollywood to appear on television .
after the appearance on television , things start to fall apart .
two of the members of the band pretty much disappear , and things are not working out well between jimmy and guy .
will the band work it out , or will they split up and go on their own separate journeys towards success ?
that thing you do ! , complete with a nifty original song that actually sounded authentic , is a fun and enjoyable movie
that , although it does n't become clear if it wants to be a comedy , drama , or romance , is a well - made look into the world of music .
tom hanks ' directorial debut was a good one and should lead to more work for him .
an enjoyable tale with a nifty original song that actually sounded authentic , is a fun and enjoyable movie was a good one and should lead to more work for him a well - made look