User Reviews

The movie is loosely based on Tom Junod's life around 1998 when he wrote an article on Mr. Rogers for Esquire magazine.

It's interesting because the journalist, named Lloyd Vogel in the movie, is introduced as a harsh cynic who's notorious for shredding the character of the people he writes about. Mr. Rogers, fully aware of this, still invites him into his world.

Here, Vogel is actually the subject of the movie ... and Mr. Rogers is the enigmatic subject of the article he's writing. You don't get too much insight on Rogers himself but you do get a feel for how he affected people and why.

If you're interested on learning more about Rogers, see the documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor" (2018). You'll get more of a feel for who he is. But if you're in the mood for a touching story from his life, this is a good one to see.

This didn't get much of a theatrical run here in the UK, and possibly gets lost in translation, as we don't really know much about Mr Rogers, whereas in the US he is a massive icon from people's childhoods.

On it's own merits though this is a good film, with two stellar performances from Rhys and Hanks.

A little slow in places, it does contain some wonderful messages, that stayed with me long after the credits rolled.

The Mr. Rogers movie isn't about Mr. Rogers.

It's a story about a man named Lloyd. It's story of how Lloyd met Mr. Rogers, became his friend, and how Mr. Rogers saved Lloyd's life.

Lloyd's life wasn't in danger in the literal sense. Lloyd didn't have a terminal illness for Mr. Rogers to cure. Lloyd didn't have suicidal thoughts for Mr. Rogers to quell. Lloyd's life was in danger in a different sense. He was in danger of losing himself and the things he cared about most.

"A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" tells the story of how Mr. Rogers helped Lloyd mend his psychological fractures and face the demons that had haunted him since his childhood. Through their relationship, we get a peek behind the curtain of the impact that Mr. Rogers had on the lives of the people he met on a daily basis. He helped many children, of course, but he also helped adults too.

Some viewers may fret over Mr. Rogers' limited screen time in the film and the focus on Lloyd. I disagree. The time we spend with Mr. Rogers is plenty revealing and impactful. Lloyd is a sensible character on which to build a story, because he has glaring flaws and a development arc. The great legacy of Mr. Rogers is all the lives he touched and the good he gave the world. Lloyd's story provides a wonderful example.

Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers is every bit as perfect as anyone would have guessed. He doesn't try to overplay it by doing an impression, mocking Rogers' body language and the like. What he does is find a way to capture the essence of Mr. Rogers, the beacon of positivity he became. The teacher. The friend. The nicest man in the world.

That doesn't mean Mr. Rogers is perfect. He's not an angel born to be kind. He works on being kind every day. Only through consistent effort and intentionality of goodness does Mr. Rogers achieve his rightfully earned reputation. He serves as an example to all of us that we too can be kind, and we too can live the lives we want to live.

It's perhaps the most inspirational and most important message we'll see at the movies all year.

It was a movie about Mr. Rogers so how could I not go see it? From birth until about the age of ten Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street were my primary T.V. programs. Sure, they were supplemented at times by Reading Rainbow, Romper Room, and other PBS shows, but Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street were the staples.

I was expecting a biopic but we got something a little different. Instead of a movie about Mr. Rogers' life from beginning to end, we got a vignette about Mr. Rogers' positive affect on a journalist named Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys).

This movie is more suited for those of us that grew up watching Mr. Rogers. Not that younger viewers can't appreciate the movie, but there won't be the same connection. The moment I saw the low resolution camera shot of his set I felt warm and comfortable as though I was child again watching Mr. Rogers in the comfort of my living room. The nostalgic effect it had on me was worth the price of admission.

The movie moves slow and the conflict in it is tame when compared to other dramas, but potential viewers can be comfortable in knowing that this movie does nothing to sully the good name of Mr. Rogers. If anything, this movie will give viewers a better feeling about the soft spoken sage. There are some humorous moments and some deep moments, but I think every moment was a teaching moment. So, now at age 40+ I found myself listening to the soothing monotone wisdom of Mr. Rogers through the voice of Tom Hanks.

This may get a little personal, but I've been suffering from severe depression and have had a lot of issues dealing with anger, sadness and all for about five years now. For the past 8 years of my life, and earlier years of my childhood, I have loved Fred Rogers. He always told me and millions of children all over the world that he likes us just the way we are, and taught us the power of kindness, positive ways of thinking and dealing with our emotions, and while I'll always be a cynic by nature, I've always tried to take what he taught me and many others to heart. He was genuinely the kindest, most loving and compassionate human being to ever grace this Earth. But over the past year especially, I've stopped caring about my life with tragedy happening around me constantly, making me feel like my life was falling apart, as well as me having thoughts of suicide. I always put Mr Rogers on to give me some kind of motivation to keep going, but his messages that once resonated so deeply with me began to fade as I slipped further and further away from being "fine". I've gotten a lot better over the past few months though, not perfect but still, and when I heard that a movie starring Tom Hanks as Mr Rogers was being made I did all that I could to see it as fast as possible when it finally came out in the UK (which as of writing this, was yesterday).

The second this film started, the moment Hanks appeared and the music came on, I just completely melted. I almost audibly broke down into tears, but not with sadness, with joy and relief. I knew I was in for something that would grip me. This film is amazing. It focuses on the psychological healing and betterment of the protagonist, Lloyd, as Mr Rogers taps into his childhood and his feelings, the same way he tapped into the feelings of children back when his show was still on the air and back when I watched it a decade ago, and we get a powerful, touching tribute to this man and the impact he had on so many lives. Lloyd himself was not only well acted, but for me anyway I saw a bit of myself in him. Things like his strained relations with family, his overwhelming and blinding cynicism and his anger management are all things I dealt with at some point and still deal with today. So when the film took this character and and put him on this emotional journey to betterment and healing, it resonated so deeply with me that I began to feel as if I was a kid again, watching Rogers as he taught me how to deal with my own anger and to prioritise kindness, and for many people who saw this film, I feel like they experienced the same thing I did. And that's why this movie is so good. It has the same impact and kind-heartedness as Rogers' original show, but turned into an emotional, thoughtful and touching feature-length film that acts as the perfect tribute to Fred's legacy and life. At the end of the day though, the film, while an amazing tribute to Fred, isn't entirely about him. It's about how he saved the life of Lloyd, became one of his closest friends, and helped him heal his psychological wounds. And the perfect way to put this film is this: It's a film that celebrates the messages, kindness and life of Mr Rogers, that acts as a way to show the impact that he had on so many lives, and despite him not being in the film as much as Lloyd, who is the main protagonist of the film, his impact is felt throughout its entire runtime and in every single scene.

Other things as well, the blending of the old Mr Rogers sets with locations in the film was very creative and touching, the acting, especially from Hanks was incredible, the film was perfectly paced and while the score isn't anything to talk about, the parts that do use music are done very well and capture the feel of the scene. The editing might've been a little iffy at points, but that was mainly at the beginning of the film. Overall, it's probably my favourite movie of 2019, even if I did have to wait until 2020 to watch it. If you have not watched it yet, please do. It's absolutely phenomenal.

I'm going to be honest, I was skeptical of this movie from the start, but boy am I glad I was wrong. I have adored Mister Rogers since I was a young girl & I didn't like the idea of someone else playing him. But Tom Hanks truly embodied Fred's spirit & presence to the point where I almost forgot it wasn't Mister Rogers!

This movie used so many small moments in big ways that were gut-wrenching & raw. It makes you feel seen & exposed in a way that is humbling. Mr. Rogers has always inspired me to grow & become the best version of myself possible & I'm ecstatic that A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood does his name justice. Truly a joy to behold.

I went into the theatre expecting more of a biography than a melodramatic piece.

Say what you will, but I felt Hanks' performance of Mr. Rogers was what saved this film from being a utter flop. With that said, Mr. Rogers feels like a secondary character in the plot, which gets increasingly predictable and cliché by the latter part of the film.

The film starts off with a seemingly unexpected plot twist, which honestly grabbed my attention. About halfway through, aside from a few stellar scenes with Hanks, the storyline seemed to diverge farther into an exaggerated and overly predictable "feel good" drama.

The pacing was also too jumpy for me. Just when you thought you'd actually learn something deep about Fred Rogers, the movie cut away to the "real" plot that had more to do with the investigative journalist, than Fred Rogers as a man.

Let me be clear, the pacing was not bad when it got slow. It was so slow at times that it almost made you uncomfortable, but that's because Hanks nailed Mr. Rogers. If you never watched him in the 90s or earlier, I could see how you might be thrown off with just how slow and abnormal his character comes off as. Unfortunately, the slow pacing is offset erratically by the dramatic acting that comes off as borderline forced by the journalist's family.

Overall, the unexpected start to the film grabbed my attention, Hanks performance during the first half kept me interested, but I almost got up and left the theatre in the second half when the plot became uninterestingly predictable and Hanks screen-time lessened.

6/10 because Hanks gave a strong performance, but without him it would have been maybe a 3 or 4 at best.

The most powerful 60 seconds in cinematic history. The deafening roar of silence.

This is the exact movie we all need to watch right now about forgiveness and compassion. I absolutely loved it. It was just so so good. Both Mathew and Tom both deserve Oscar recognition for their phenomenal performance. I truly recommend this movie for everyone. It makes you think about yourself.

I wasn't expecting much from this film I saw one ad for it thought it was a cute and innocent looking movie and forgot about it until a couple weeks ago I watched it and I was very impressed with the effort and care given to this movie and the story of Fred Rogers. my only complaint is that the beginning of the movie starts out like an episode of mister Rogers neighborhood I didn't pay much attention to this until it transitioned from the old grainy film of the 70s show to a well shot scene in an apartment it was very jarring at first but it happens less often as the movie progresses. Tom Hanks does an amazing job portraying Fred Rogers you could tell he was VERY into the roll. A great movie to see with the family.

My wife and I watched this at home on BluRay from our public library. It is not a Fred Rogers biography, there is an excellent one that came out in 1998 called "Won't You Be My neighbor" and it covers his whole life.

This movie, where Fred Rogers is considered the supporting character, focuses on a reporter and author given an assignment to write a very short piece for the November 1998 edition of Esquire magazine. In the process he gets to know Fred Rogers more deeply and their interactions changes his life. Fred Rogers was 70 in 1998 and only had five more years before he died from stomach cancer.

Tom Hanks, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, is Fred Rogers. Mrs Rogers, still alive, says Hanks was her husband's favorite actor. And more recent information reveals Fred and Tom are 6th cousins.

Welsh actor Matthew Rhys plays the author, Lloyd Vogel, which is actually a fictional creation. The real writer is Tom Junod who requested the character name be changed because the story in the movie deviates significantly from his own life. It is loosely based off of the profile Junod wrote and follows the friendship that emerges from it.

The other amazing role was Chris Cooper as Jerry Vogel, the estranged dad of the writer. As an example of a deviation from reality the fight at the wedding did not happen in real life.

All in all a very good movie, and the extras on the disc are very interesting. As an example the scene where Fred and Lloyd take a minute of silence to remember all those who helped them in their lives, all the restaurant patrons were people connected to Fred, including his widow and many crew members from the original Mr Rogers shows.

Also, look up the November 1998 Esquire article online, it is worth a read.

The marketing and title leads one to believe this movie was about the wonderful person that was Fred Rogers. Instead this movie is a story about a notoriously critical journalist writing about Mr. Rogers and the impact it had on him. While Hanks does well at portraying Fred Rogers, who I understand is his 6th cousin, this movie tells you little of who you are lead to believe is the central character. Watch 'Wont You Be My Neighbor?' (2018) instead Mr. Rogers was shy, introverted child with health issues that became president of student council, member of honors society, obtained multiple degrees including music graduating magna cum laude, seminary, ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church, ... He wrote and edited all the episodes, played the piano and sang for most of the songs, wrote 200 songs, created all the characters, played most of the major puppet roles, hosted every episode, produced and approved every detail of the program. Fred attended graduate School of Child Development, and worked closely with a child psychologist. taught young children about civility, tolerance, sharing, and self-worth, tackled difficult topics such as the death of a family pet, sibling rivalry, the addition of a newborn into a family, moving and enrolling in a new school, and divorce. Even dealt with the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy days after it occurred. There has been nothing else like Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Groundbreaking and wholesome. When Sesame Street emerged it covered school readiness.

Honestly for me a beautiful day in the neighborhood is mediocore as a film and if i have to choose i would rather watch documentry that come out last year over this but saving grace as we all expected was tom hanks as fred rogers who kills it with this role you could even say that he was even better at playing fred rogers then fred rogers himself,every scene hanks sold it with his likebelite and charisma ,and he gets a nomination for awards it wont be undeserved

This movie was honestly near perfection. The acting from everyone involved was amazing. Tom Hanks was born to play Mr Rogers. The emotional moments were perfect. This movie came out at the exact right time in our society. This is the exact movie we all need to watch right now about forgiveness and compassion. I absolutely loved it. It was just so so good. Both Mathew and Tom both deserve Oscar recognition for their phenomenal performance. I truly recommend this movie for everyone. It makes you think about yourself.

I find myself a bit conflicted about my feelings on "a beautiful day in the neighborhood" without using the word , disingenuous. It seems to be advertising it self as the Mr. Roger's movie , having him on the poster , the title a reference to him , and almost all the ads Hank's performance. The truth is it's more about the effect Mr. Roger's had on people (and still does) then a straight biopic. In fact Mr. Roger's is on screen for maybe less then half its run time . But , to be honest, it's ok. It's a very unique and intriguing story and I really enjoyed watching it. It just leaves you wanting more of its greatest moments : the recreation of sets, the transitions between scenes and of course Tom Hanks amazing performance. He truly becomes Fred Roger's , right down to body ticks and glares . Every moment he's on screen joy came across my face and I was whisked back to my childhood . Unfortunately, something just feels forced about the other half , emotion just doesn't connect the way it should and some scenes feel out of place and oddly humorous. One such scene , a trippy nightmare , sticks out like a sore thumb . Sometimes things feel forced in as Mr. Roger's greatest hits then actual moments from the main characters encounters and they're extremely noticeable and out of place . All of this just doesn't gel into a cohesive piece like it should. You will find , however, a great message that really makes you feel inspired. I guess that's more Mr. Roger's then I give it credit for.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is a beautiful feel-good film about Mr. Rogers and the effect he had and will always have on people. It tells the tale of his relationship with Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys), an emotionally jaded reporter tasked to write a profile on him as one of America's heroes (based on the real life story of Tom Junod's relationship with Mr. Rogers).

Tom Hanks absolutely shines as he transforms into the beloved children's show star in a role his career has been perhaps always leading to. Hanks embodies all that is Fred Rogers, from his delicate mannerism to beautifully authentic warmth with others. Hanks pulls at your heartstrings with every word uttered during the film's run.

Tom Hanks, however, is not the only actor to be lauded for his performance, as co-stars Matthew Rhys (Lloyd Vogel) and Chris Cooper (Jerry Vogel) deliver outstanding ones in their own right. The father-son struggle presented in the film allows for each actor to flush out raw emotion that transcends with the audience. Rhys and Hanks too have this tremendous chemistry that has each actor radiating in the scenes they share.

The film brings back many aspects of nostalgia for viewers of the original show as Hanks and company perfectly recreate iconic scenes and moments. The film also does an excellent job intercutting from the show's original 4:3 aspect ratio and 2 camera set up to modern film production. This allows for these scenes to have a unique presentation as we jump from Mr. Rogers' neighborhood to the film. Director Marielle Heller (Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)) and writing duo Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster work meticulously to bring Mr. Rogers' world to life, allowing for the film to feel authentic in each and every way.

This film is about Mr. Rogers' impact on one person's life on its surface. However, looking slightly beyond unveils much more in that it is a look at the human condition and Mr. Rogers' exceptional understanding of it. It explains the importance people have in each other's lives and how much we depend on one another, something Mr. Rogers very much understood and exemplified in his life's work. Sometimes you need Mr. Rogers to explain it to you as he always finds a way to make it easy to understand and feel better about. The world could do with more Mr. Rogers and this film shows us just exactly why.

Let's just lay these bones bare: it's not that 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood' is a particularly bad movie, it's just that it's unnecessary.

For those of us who live online-which is most of us, honestly-we all know that people like Fred Rogers and Bob Ross have seen a resurgence in their popularity lately due to their wholesome nature and have subsequently been canonized for sainthood by the online community.

Partly as a result, director Morgan Neville began assembling the Fred Rogers documentary 'Won't You Be My Neighbor' well ahead of the film's 2018 release. It played at Sundance on January 19th. On January 29th, it was announced that TriStar Pictures had bought the worldwide distribution rights for the source material that would eventually become 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.' See what we're getting at?

So 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood' is essentially redundant and as is the case with any facsimile, the quality just isn't as sharp. Our recommendation? Save your money and stream 'Won't You Be My Neighbor' instead.

I should warn you about "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood", the film might be difficult for some viewers. This is because the story is about a troubled relationship between a man and his father...and it may trigger a lot of personal issues for you as well. Now I am NOT saying don't watch it....just be prepared that it might just be tough for you if you are struggling with these sorts of personal issues. And, you might want to have some Kleenex nearby...and perhaps a loved one as well.

The story is not a biopic about Fred Rogers...though he is a major player in the story. Instead, it's a nice story about a reporter who has daddy issues....and his encounters with Rogers did a lot to change his life. At first, they met so that he could write a magazine article about Rogers...but they became friends during this process and Rogers had a huge impact on his life.

The acting and writing are great. Perhaps even better is the direction and script...they are marvelous and it sure shows as you watch this touching movie. Overall, a really effective and terrific story...one you will no doubt enjoy.

I like Tom Hanks, I like Mr. Rogers. I don't like Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers spoke deliberately, but was still lively and peppy. The Tom Hanks version, was more like someone talking and reacting to Nyquil. The cadence of Mr. Hanks, does not match the Mr. Rogers I grew up with, The second distraction, was the movie concentrated on the life of another man, that at first, had very little regard for Mr. Rogers. I understand that the overall storyline was, Mr. Rogers changed the lives of those he met, personally or through a television. A biography would have been an appropriate vehicle for the life of this simple but complex man. The move did have its high points, such as Fred Rogers getting into the character of his puppets, his humility and accessibility, even if it conflicted with the time table of his producers. Overall an OK movie, but the 2018 Won't You Be My Neighbor? was a much better film, that left the movie goers, in our theater teary eyed.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is a superb film and one of the most wonderful movie going experiences of my life. Mr. Tom Hanks gives what is nothing less than the performance of a lifetime. Simply incredible. Subtly and with artistry and sensitivity Mr. Hanks becomes Fred Rogers and it's as if the actor himself disappears. Beautifully written and wonderfully directed, this is a motion picture that will live in the hearts of audiences for generations to come. Tom Hanks will rip your heart out and return it to you filled with love and understanding. This is an historic acting accomplishment in a film that will become an instant classic.

Fred Rogers was a great person and humanitarian who left an invaluable legacy, and Tom Hanks is a very distinguished and likeable actor. Yet this film was just plain awkward with a sprinkle of creepiness.

I'm still grumpy over the documentary about Fred Rogers, WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? Not even being nominated for best documentary, but I chose to see this movie anyway. It stars Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers. The story is based on an ESQUIRE article by Tom Junod called "Can You Say 'Hero'?" in which the usually expose-writing writer is told to interview Fred Rogers. Matt Rhys, who plays the writer, finds the affair....unsettling. He's looking to rip the amiable mask off the fellow, but finds him a quiet, sharp man who seems to have done his own research on the writer and picks, picks, picks at the fellow until he winkles out his issues. He quietly denies being a saint, admits to being an imperfect parent, who, his wife notes, has a terrible temper. Everyone, however, is incredibly vague and protective. Rhys keeps trying to find the joint between the public mask and the face beneath, and winds up learning a lot about himself.

The choices of what to leave out are interesting. Fred Rogers was an ordained Presbyterian minister who used the TV show as a non-denominational pulpit to address children and their issues. He was the most unlikely of TV stars and his show was filmed in the most awkward of manners, yet parents knew that their children were safe with him, even as he expressed his love for everyone and discussed disturbing subjects.

This is best summed up in the sequence where Rhys is asked to meet Rogers in New York. They take the subway to his Manhattan apartment, and are serenaded by his theme song by a carful of children, Black teenagers, cops and young adults.

Hanks gives a fascinating performance. He lets you see that Mr. Rogers is indeed a public mask that he never lets slip... when anyone else is around. The way he slips around the interviewer's question to question the interviewer, shows at once a great intelligence, real concern for his fellow human being, and fear of something dark within himself.