When you think of the nicest people in show business, you likely think of Mister Rogers and Tom Hanks. What perfect casting it is then that Hanks is playing Rogers in the man’s first biopic, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Don’t believe me? Watch him in action in the film’s very first trailer:
The film follows Lloyd Vogel, a cynical column writer, who is set to do a profile on Fred Rogers, aka Mister Rogers, and his work for Esquire. Over time, the two develop a friendship as Vogel comes to terms with his newfound fatherhood. The trailer is wholesome enough to put in one of the iconic moments of Rogers’ life; once when he was on a New York City subway, he was recognized by other passengers and the whole subway car broke out into a rendition of the show’s theme song. If you’re not at least misting up a little, you might be made of steel or somehow immune to Oscar-bait at a level even I can’t contend with.
Hanks, as mentioned before, is playing the iconic Fred Rogers and Matthew Rhys as Vogel. The movie is based on the real life story of journalist Tom Junod, who interviewed Rogers for Esquire, and the subsequent piece he wrote. The film is directed by Marielle Heller, who has just come off the biopic Can You Ever Forgive Me? about author Lee Israel and her forging of correspondence from famous writers. The film was written by
Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, the latter of whom has written for Transparent.
Okay, could someone pass me tissues or something? It’s raining on my face again.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood will premiere in theaters on November 22, 2019.