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That Thing You Do! (1996)

Writer: Thomas Duncan
Thomas Duncan
5 hours ago
4 min read

Cast:

  • Tom Hanks, Writer/Director

  • Tak Fujimoto, Cinematography

  • Howard Shore, Music

  • Richard Chew, Editor

  • Tom Everett Scott as Guy "Skitch" (later "Shades") Patterson

  • Liv Tyler as Faye Dolan

  • Johnathon Schaech as James "Jimmy" Mattingly II

  • Steve Zahn as Leonard "Lenny" Haise

  • Ethan Embry as T.B. Player

  • Tom Hanks as Mr. Amos White

  • Charlize Theron as Tina Powers

  • Keith Neubert as Tina's dentist

  • Obba Babatundé as Lamarr

  • Giovanni Ribisi as Chad

  • Chris Ellis as Phil Horace

  • Alex Rocco as Sol Siler

  • Bill Cobbs as Del Paxton

  • Peter Scolari as Troy Chesterfield

  • Rita Wilson as Marguerite

  • Chris Isaak as Guy's Uncle Bob

  • Kevin Pollak as Victor "Boss Vic Koss" Kosslovich


Background:

  • That Thing You Do! was released on October 4, 1996.

  • On a budget of $26 million, it would gross roughly $34 million to finish #60 at the worldwide box office for 1996.

  • It was critically positive even if not effusively, but was nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars in 1997.

  • That Thing You Do! currently holds a 93% among critics on RT, a 71 score on Metacritic, and a 3.6/5 on Letterboxd.


Plot Summary: In That Thing You Do!, Guy Patterson (Tom Everett Scott) sits in as drummer for a small-town band, the Wonders. At a talent show, he speeds up their ballad "That Thing You Do," and it becomes a hit. With guidance from manager, Mr. White (Tom Hanks), the band climbs the charts. Jimmy (Jonathon Schaech) grows arrogant, while Faye (Liv Tyler) supports Guy. As fame brings pressure and conflict, the group fractures, leaving Guy to chart his own musical future.


Did You Know:

  • Steve Zahn is an accomplished singer/guitarist. He played guitar and sang in both this movie and Saving Silverman (2001).

  • Film debut of Tom Everett Scott. Tom Hanks was initially opposed to hiring Scott because of Scott's strong resemblance to a younger Hanks. He was finally convinced by his wife, Rita Wilson, who thought Scott was cute.

  • Adam Schlesinger, the bassist of Fountains of Wayne, penned the title song in response to a contest being held by the studio. Their song won, being used in the movie. The movie was released shortly after their first album.

  • The four actors playing The Wonders rehearsed as a band for eight weeks to get the feel of performing, but most of their performances in the film were dubbed by other musicians.

  • According to Tom Hanks, Charlize Theron was the first actress to audition for her part and the first person to be cast in the movie.

  • Steve Zahn was the best man at Tom Everett Scott's wedding.

  • Tom Hanks named the beach band (Capn' Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters) after two seafood restaurants near Beaufort, South Carolina, where many scenes in Forrest Gump (1994) were filmed. Captain Geech's was on Lady's Island, but is now closed. The Shrimp Shack is still open for business on St. Helena Island.


Best Performance: Tom Everett Scott (Guy)/Tom Hanks (Writer/Director/Mr. White)

Best Secondary Performance: Richard Chew (Editor)/Tom Hanks (Writer/Director/Mr. White)

Most Charismatic Award: That Thing You Do! (song)/Liv Tyler (Faye)

Best Scene:

  • Talent Show

  • First Time on the Radio

  • Moving Up the Charts Montage

  • Meeting Del Paxton

  • Jimmy Quits

Favorite Scene: Talent Show/Moving Up the Charts Montage

Most Indelible Moment: First Time on the Radio/Jimmy Quits


In Memorium:


Best Lines/Funniest Lines:

Dell Paxton: Ain't no way to keep a band together. Bands come and go. You got to keep on playin', no matter with who.


Lenny: Are you crazy? A man in a really nice camper wants to put our song on the radio! Gimme a pen; I'm signin', you're signin', we're all signin'!


Lenny: "Skitch", how did we get here?

Guy: I led you here, sir, for I am Spartacus.


Faye: I have wasted thousands and thousands of kisses on you - kisses that I thought were special because of your lips and your smile and all your color and life. I used to think that was the real you, when you smiled. But now I know you don't mean any of it. You just save it for all your songs. Shame on me for kissing you with my eyes closed so tight.


Mr. White: It is very important that you don't stink today.

Lenny Haise: Hey, I make no guarantees.


Mr. White: You guys look great in black, have I told you that?


Mr. White: You know, Horace was right about you, Guy; you are the smart one. Lenny is the fool, Jimmy is the... talent, and Faye is... well, now, Faye is special, isn't she? And you are the smart one. That's what I think, anyway.


Mr. White: You guys look great in red, have I told you that?


Mr. White: Put your glasses on, Shades. Give 'em what they want.


Mr. White: You guys look great in gold, have I told you that?


Phil Horace: I've found that a hit record is like a stew. All the ingredients have to come together just right. Otherwise, it's just soup.


The Stanley Rubric:

Legacy: 4

Impact/Significance: 4.25

Novelty: 6.5

Classic-ness: 7

Rewatchability: 5.5

Audience Score: 7.4 (7.0 IMDB, 78% RT)

Total: 34.65


Remaining Questions:

  • Despite quitting, how does Jimmy end up making three Gold Records with Playtone?

  • Does Chad end up with Guy's sister?

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