Tom Hanks Goes on a NSFW Rant On Film Critics About Here Movie

by

As someone who has spent decades in the industry, I can’t help but feel a mix of amusement and frustration when listening to Tom Hanks‘ recent rant about movie critics. While I understand his frustration with the ever-changing tide of opinions and the impact that negative reviews can have on a film’s success, I also empathize with the critics who are simply expressing their subjective views.

Tom Hanks doesn’t shy away from expressing his thoughts about film critics and commentators, as the well-known actor let loose with an explicit tirade after his recent box office disappointment, “Here.” This movie brings Hanks back together with his former co-star from “Forrest Gump,” Robin Wright, as “Here” traces various generations of the Young family in their house spanning a century. Despite a talented ensemble that includes Kelly Reilly, Leslie Zemeckis, Paul Bettany, Ophelia Lovibond, and Michelle Dockerty, “Here” has fallen flat with critics and viewers, receiving negative reviews and poor box office performance – only managing to earn $5 million in its opening weekend.

As a passionate cinephile, I recently listened to Tom Hanks on Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast, and he expressed some strong opinions about film critics influencing public perception of movies, which is troubling enough, but even more so when they change their minds about movies from decades ago. In his words:

At that point, you might say to your spouse, “‘Hi dear, would you mind removing the gun from the glove compartment and putting it away somewhere safe for now?’

As a passionate cinephile, I find myself reflecting on instances when a film that was once dismissed seems to resonate today. For instance, Conan O’Brien recently revisited “That Thing You Do!”, a movie released in 1996 that initially faced criticism from some prominent critics. However, over time, it has garnered a dedicated fanbase, earning cult status. In an unusual turn of events, Tom Hanks, the star of “Toy Story”, expressed his long-held dissatisfaction with this critique, using a podcast to voice his feelings in a way that was unexpectedly blunt and colorful.

”
Let me tell you something about these c***suckers who write about movies.
Can I say that? Somebody who wrote about it [said], ‘Tom Hanks has to stop hanging around with veterans of TV, because this is just like shot on TV, and it’s not much of anything.’ That same person then wrote about the cult classic That Thing You Do, same exact person.”

Is Tom Hanks Correct About Movie Critics?

Love them or loathe them, for as long as Hollywood has been making movies, people have been sharing their opinions about them… critics just have a much larger platform through which to do so. Tom Hanks isn’t the only actor to call out critics, but his comments are perhaps the most vulgar in recent memory. Of course, even the most talented film critic only has an external, subjective view of a movie. There is always the chance that a critic can be wrong (Space Chimps is a good movie, damn it!), yet their falsely negative or positive reviews can have a massive impact on audiences.

From another perspective, it’s natural and part of the human experience to sometimes disagree with film critics about movies, as our taste in art can evolve over time. Many people have films they once disliked but now appreciate, or vice versa. In essence, film critics are simply making their mistakes on a broader, more public stage. Even renowned critics like Roger Ebert have written reviews that were later found to be less than stellar, and he even apologized for some of them in hindsight.

Read More

2024-11-07 20:03