Larry Crowne
Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks), a middle aged man recently fired from his simple but satisfying job at U-mart is now in a quest to better himself to get a better job. He’s enrolled in community college to better his education and polish his skill sets. He’s also found a new friend, Talia (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), and a potential love interest in one of his teachers, Mercedes Tainot (Julia Roberts). Guided by Talia, Larry learns to find his own groove, and gains confidence from Mercedes. But, as class comes to an end how will he make out, will he do the right thing, and what of his life?
Directed by and partially written by Tom Hanks, Larry Crowne sits as sort of the light weight alternative this weekend that’s fun, whimsical, and harmless– a romantic comedy that doesn’t really surprise us. The characters all seem to be caricatures, larger than life and hard to take
seriously. Sure, there are some funny moments, but overall the film kind of plays like a mild anesthesia, it’s blissful but ultimately forgettable, which is perfectly fine if you’re looking to just escape for a while. Maybe a matinee alternative, but more likely a rental, Larry Crowne is rated PG-13.