That Thing You Do!
By Heather Boerner,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Sweet, sleepy take on flash-in-the-pan '60s band.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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That Thing You Do!
Community Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Fun movie- but watch out for extended version!
The sex rating of “not present” for this movie can be a little deceiving...
What's the Story?
In 1964, Guy Patterson (Tom Everett Scott) works at his father's appliance store until a freak accident sidelines a local quartet's drummer. Then, Guy's secret passion for jazz and percussion blooms and he turns the dull ballad "That Thing You Do!" into a pop hit. He and the other guys in the One-ders (mispronounced by everyone as the "Oh-nee-ders") get a manager, change the spelling of the band's name, cut a single, and suddenly find themselves touring state fairs, playing on a television show, and acting in a movie. They have it all, but can they keep it together to cut another album, or will they go from being the Wonders to just another one-hit wonder?
Is It Any Good?
THAT THING YOU DO! is as sweet and chaste as the eponymous song. In fact, it's so agreeable, it's positively boring for anyone who's ever seen any episodes of VH1's Behind the Music. That's not to say that younger viewers and those just discovering the music of the 1960s won't enjoy the film.
What's remarkable about That Thing You Do! is that this unremarkable remake of the Beatles story is what writer and director Tom Hanks chose to do with the political capital he amassed in blockbusters like Apollo 13 and Forrest Gump. It's an oddly wholesome and lackluster choice. What we see here is a grown-up living his fantasy of being part of the Fab Four. Still, because of its sweet and chaste bent, the PG-rated film is perfect for tweens and younger teens who haven't yet been drawn into more risqué viewing choices.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how family members resolve conflicts within their prospective groups. Do you believe that "you can't keep a band (or a group of friends) together," as one of the characters says? How would you handle having a crush on one of your friend's girlfriends? You can also talk about your favorite one-hit wonders.
Movie Details
- In theaters: December 19, 1996
- On DVD or streaming: June 5, 2001
- Cast: Liv Tyler , Steve Zahn , Tom Hanks
- Director: Tom Hanks
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Friendship , Music and Sing-Along
- Run time: 105 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: some language
- Last updated: October 30, 2023
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