25 Years of Wonder: 'That Thing You Do' Revisited
As moviegoers, we often refer to films as things that we see; it often becomes easy to forget about the way their sounds can move us as viewers. Some audio cues wield so much power, they activate dormant energies that permeate the surface and force a physical reaction out of us. For a joyous mid-90s musical classic like Tom Hanks’ That Thing You Do, the sounds are what stay with us the most—though the details are what keep us jiving back to it a quarter-century later.
Chances are, you can summon the iconic drum intro in your head right now: boom, clap clap, boom clap. This charismatic comedy-drama resurrects the 1960’s pop scene with an uptempo verve and vintage charm that achieved moderate box office success and featured a soundtrack that climbed the real-world Billboard charts. The film chronicles the rise and fall of a 4-piece rock outfit from Erie, PA amidst the landscape of a sprawling ‘60s stable of pop stars.
The delightful period piece was written, directed by, and co-stars Tom Hanks as Mr. White, A&R for the fictitious Playtone Records with a strong eye for rising talent. That Thing You Do fizzles with the warmth and effortless affability of Hanks himself, his heartfelt nostalgia for a bygone era illuminates the big screen and feels fondly remembered from its sharp-eyed production design to the retro hair and costuming. While Hanks’ directorial debut doesn’t get spoken about much, it’s overwhelmingly adored by those who remember it.
That Thing You Do is a dearly beloved ‘90s film that really taps into our belated cultural romanticization for the ‘60s. In the immediate wake of last weekend’s arrival of Get Back, Peter Jackson’s new Beatles docuseries, Hanks’ soulful throwback resonates now more than ever as a definitive era movie, especially considering how deeply it’s indebted to the most iconic (and some more forgettable) bands of the 1960s.
We watch the saga unfold through the eyes of smalltown appliance store clerk Guy Patterson (Tom Everett Scott). Referred to by one peer as “Erie’s lone beatnik”, the well-liked drummer gets the chance of a lifetime when he’s approached by his friends to play percussion for their garage band project in a local talent show to compete for a small cash prize. Enter his bandmates: the self-absorbed frontman Jimmy (Jonathan Schaech), the immature lead guitarist Lenny (Steve Zahn), and the nameless bass player famously credited only as The Bass Player (Ethan Embry).
After scorching the college talent show and achieving regional notoriety, the comically dubbed ‘One-Ders’ (a play on the word ‘wonder’) catch the attention of a traveling band manager who gets their music on the radio and arranges a fateful meeting with Mr. White, who signs them to a label and invites them on a North American tour. The newly christened ‘Wonders’ are whiplashed by the suddenness of their meteoric rise as they enjoy the many perks of celebrity stardom, though they quickly learn the challenges of keeping the band’s momentum on track.
“Everybody has to be able to compliment each other. The thing that I was always going for was that you could always have a choice of who your favorite Wonder was.”
Tom Hanks
The movie is enlivened by the energy of its spangled musical performances but the glue of this film is the people who hold it all together. Hanks’ characters feel distinctly rendered, each one memorable in their own unique way. Furthermore, the chemistry between all of the bandmates is never left ambiguous, which is difficult to accomplish in movies about bands. Their inherent dynamic propels the film from being just a catchy musical to being a sincere tale about friendship, ego, and the untimely burdens of success.
Tom Everett Scott gives a warm, definitive performance as the musically gifted Guy. Like all drummers, he serves as the narrative’s backbone, keeping the story in rhythm. Guy’s keen musical instincts are bolstered by his enduring love for jazz—a prescient character concept by 1996 standards. He plays in measured conflict with the band’s overbearing songwriter Jimmy, the handsome but flawed frontman. While guitarists Lenny and T.B. Player don’t have as much weight to hold, they complete this famous foursome and provide much-needed levity throughout.
Within The Wonders’ immediate orbit, we find Tom Hanks and a 19-year old Liv Tyler as Faye, Jimmy’s girlfriend and the band’s wardrobe manager. Her soft-spoken, doe-eyed enchantment remains a staple in the pantheon of mid-90s love interests. The film boasts a staggering galaxy of supporting talent that includes Bryan Cranston, Giovanni Ribisi, Bill Cobbs, Rita Wilson, and Charlize Theron, and Colin Hanks in his onscreen debut.
Living up to its reputation as a musical, the eponymous hit single That Thing You Do is heard 8 times throughout the film. Yet still, after all this time, it never manages to get on your nerves. Hanks finds a cohesive rhythm with a blend of original songs and a snappy musical score by Howard Shore that keeps the movie bouncing. From opening to closing credits, all of the accompanying music is fun, energetic, and never feels contrived by the story.
That propulsive energy is also felt in its set and costume design; Hanks is pitch-perfect at creating an authentic, vintage feel without overreaching. Assembling a world-class team of art directors and production designers, That Thing You Do transports viewers into the 60s like no other film of its time. The antiquated colors, the tube TV sets, the clock radios, the skinny suits are all imprints pulled from a fragment of Tom Hanks’ vivid memories of the past. The end result is a labor of love, seen and felt through the eyes of someone who has lived it for themselves.
“What I’m truly hoping for is that the audience is able to sit down and watch this thing and say ‘that was an incredibly refreshing change of pace’.”
Tom Hanks
As the cultural lexicon keeps inching toward broader definitions of mainstream entertainment, the allure of That Thing You Do is only made clearer 25 years later. Now more than ever, the movie captures an intimacy that isn’t quite common anymore; its contagious musical energy is pure without being corny and its true-blue authenticity injects it with a playful sense of nostalgia for the past.
For younger generations who enjoy That Thing You Do, there’s a timeless charm to it that feels somewhat transcendent. Over time it’s evolved into more than just a movie, but a keyhole into America’s past. For those who have never lived it, the film becomes a reference point of how we perceive the 1960s, much like Tarantino’s work on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Just like Tarantino, Hanks infuses the film with his unmistakable sentimentality in a way that elevates his characters to transcend the boundaries of fiction. So much so that with each new viewing, The Wonders cease to be characters—but rather, more like old friends.
