Movie rating: 2 Star

Larry Crowne

Hanks is titular character Larry Crowne, a normal sort who gets fired from his relatively menial job in Umart for not having a college education. So, he decides to go back to college in order to find work, where he meets Julia Roberts' cynical teacher and makes new friends for the first time in years.

That might seem like a short synopsis, but that's really all there is, plot-wise. But that's no biggie; indie flicks and flicks with indie sensibilities do that all the time. This is character-driven stuff, so surely there are some interesting characters, right? Not really. Even Crowne himself leads a wholly uninteresting existence and, as you may have guessed from the title, he's the focal point of the entire film.

Watch: Larry Crowne

It feels like it's attempting to say something about the current economic climate and ageism in the work place, but there's no real struggle for Larry. He goes to college fairly sharpish after realising a job isn't likely with his current education, and hits it off with every single person he meets. Even his hot, lusted-after teacher falls for him willy nilly, but only after a free spirit from his economics class gets him some vintage threads.

Hanks is likeable, and there was potential for Roberts' character if her relationship with (an underused) Bryan Cranston had been a bit more fleshed out. On the other hand, gags involving George Takei and Wilmer Valderrama don't even raise a chuckle.

Safe enough to pass a rainy day, but Larry Crowne is ultimately boring.

Review by Mike Sheridan | 09:00 | Friday 1st July 2011 | Movie Review

Comments

• ellegibbons

  This film is watchable, but lacks momentum, a poor storyline, very predictable, overall a 2 star from me

  Posted 08:36 | Mon 4th Jul 2011

• Patrick Miller

  Woo Community.

  Posted 08:11 | Sun 26th Jun 2011

• hibernian

  From the trailer it seems like Hanks is overplaying the stupid bit (as he did in Gump)... so possibly an Oscar is in the offing - overacting & playing stupid (but not FULL retard) gets you an Oscar every time.

  Posted 10:02 | Fri 1st Jul 2011

Log in to leave a comment

Login or register to leave a comment

Enter your email:

Enter Password: Lost Your Password?