A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

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.