It is quite rare that a film can actually make you want to change the way you see the world and how you treat other people but this is precisely what ended up happening after I saw this film. I watched it last night and today on my morning dog walk I found myself waving at people and saying hello, even if they didn't do it back. It kind of felt "nice" to be nice for no reason and perhaps we need more of that in the world right now (and always.)
This movie recently popped up on Netflix and especially for people that were around when Mr. Rodgers Neighborhood was on television, it is definitely worth seeing.
If you were alive in the 80's you know who Mr. Rodgers is. Young or old, everyone knew who this man was. The extremely special thing about Fred Rodgers is that his persona that he portrayed on the show isn't / wasn't an act, that is actually what kind of person that he was.
His level of kindness and understanding towards others was a trait that we rarely see in people these days and honestly, the world would be a much better place if there were more icons like him in the world. It kind of makes me feel as though even though we are going through a time of technological advancement the likes of which history has never seen, overall kindness got tossed to the wayside.
I would imagine that Hollywood probably wanted to make a film about Mr Rodgers for quite some time, but in order to do so and not have it be a total documentary (of which, there are already plenty) they needed some sort of controversy or "struggle" to exist in the story - of which, in Fred Rodgers' life, there simply wasn't any.
Therefore, Mr. Rodgers (Tom Hanks) isn't actually the main character in this film but rather, an author from Esquire magazine named Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) is the primary focus of attention and the lead actor.
[source](https://www.wingclips.com/system/movie-clips/a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/talking-to-lloyd/images/a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood-movie-clip-screenshot-talking-to-lloyd_large.jpg)Lloyd is a real person in that the investigation was real but his name is changed for the film (the actual author is named Tom Junodand and all of his life struggled portrayed in the film are ficionalized) but the interview and intent behind his investigative reporting is true. As a top author for Esquire Magazine, Lloyd is known for his cynical writing style and for exposing frauds in the celebrity world. He approaches Fred Rodgers with the complete intent of exposing him for not being a genuinely kind person who puts on a show just for the sake of making money.
The article he was commissioned to write was meant to be a 400-word "puff piece" for the magazine and he doesn't want to do it because he believes that such an article is beneath him.
Lloyd tries time and time again to catch Fred Rodgers "in the act" but after observing him for multiple screenings and also several interviews he quickly realizes that this man is the genuine article...that his unending kindness is just who he is, and what a wonderful thing to be.
Mr. Rodgers' outlook on life and the people in it rubs off on Lloyd and he suddenly starts to see changes in his own life for the better simply by adapting this way of thinking / being.
While I think it is probably important for someone to at least be somewhat familiar with who Mr. Rodgers actually is in order to fully enjoy this film, it is a feel-good story that I think would be wonderful if a bit of it rubbed off on all of us and we adapted it into our own lives. It is very rare for me that I watch an entire film without looking at my phone at least once, but this movie made that happen for me and as I mentioned before, Mr. Rodgers' attitude towards life and everyone made its way into my own behavior, at least for a little while.
My overall rating 8 / 10
The movie isn't perfect but it is really close. This film just makes you feel good and also makes you want to make other people feel as good as possible as well. There are very few people that have graced the planet that are as genuinely kind as Mr. Rodgers was. I think the effect it had on me would also be true for other people and therefore, I highly recommend it for everyone both kids and adults.
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