Most people probably have fond memories of coming home from elementary school, plopping down on their couch and watching Mister Rogers put on a sweater and transport them to a magical kingdom. The new Mister Rogers movie, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” is just the kind of nostalgic and heartwarming movie people need when the rest of the world seems so uncertain.
Matthew Rhys stars as Lloyd Vogel, a jaded, award-winning investigative journalist who’s built a career out of hard-hitting pieces. When his magazine decides to run a series on “heroes,” only one public figure agrees to give Vogel an interview — Mister Rogers.
Mister Rogers, played by Tom Hanks, gives Vogel an interview with him on the set of his famous children’s show, “Mister Roger’s Neighborhood.” Vogel goes into the interview skeptical that Mister Rogers could be the perfect man he appears to be on-screen and is determined to unmask his reality.
Instead, Mister Rogers expresses concern and empathy for Vogel and his unresolved anger towards his father, aiding Vogel’s personal journey rather than becoming subject of a hit piece.
After storming out in frustration from Mister Rogers trying to teach him a lesson using puppets, Vogel realizes Mister Rogers truly is trying to help him and accepts Mister Rogers help in learning to forgive.
While any other character or actor would appear cringey trying to teach life lessons through the use of puppets, Tom Hanks pulls off the role of Mister Rogers perfectly. His performance and portrayal of Mister Rogers’ kind words and measured empathy are enough to make even the most cynical of people feel something inside.
The writers do a masterful job of avoiding the depiction of Mister Rogers as a saint or a perfect person. They show that he has flaws, just like any other human being, and use this as a reminder that we can all strive to be like him by making a conscious effort to be a loving person every day.
The supporting cast of actors and actresses also do a great job of moving the plot of the film. They slip into their characters seamlessly to make it feel as if you’re watching the story, which was based on true events, play out in real life before your eyes.
The movie is for anyone and everyone, using adult situations while remaining suitable for children. Much like the show, the movie dives into themes that are usually seen as too adult for children to deal with, such as death, loss, pain, anger and forgiveness, and presents them in a way both kids and adults can understand and learn from.
The film is a work of art that reminds us to stop and think about how we’re treating other people, to let those we care about know we love them and to reconsider whether that anger we’re holding on to is really worth it.
