Larry Crowne is one of those movies that really show the modern times as they are.
Almost any modern movie these days, viewers have to worry about what they are walking into and will be seeing. Several times I have paid good money to see a movie and then regretted even wasting a dollar – that is if movies would even cost a dollar.
Nevertheless, the blurb of a man who loses his job and ends up going back to school and, therefore, takes better control over his life was an irresistible theme to watch how it would play out. Many of us have been in this position and the numbers are increasing in this direction every day.
Tom Hanks played this role as Larry Crowne, written by Hanks and Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) very well from demonstrating at the outset that he was a professional, hardworking individual who gets dealt a lousy hand. Individuals who get stuck in the same predicament because something in life prevented them from obtaining a college degree, understands this theme even more than other common movie attendees. Toward the end of the movie when he sees one of his rivals undergoing a similar issue, his reaction is stupendous and envious of even the more embittered unemployed.
Frankly, the Julia Roberts character was also prevalent of the times where working women nowadays often have to support deadbeat husbands – but mainly "boyfriends" – who live off their women's salaries while undertaking extracurricular activities with someone else. Unfortunately, this is a recurring problem that is happening more and more frequently in the current times where women will do anything in order to keep a man, even allow his disrespect of their homes, wages, bodies and sometimes their children.
I found the rather humorous subplot of the alternative transportation and subsequent group rather lightening for such a sometimes down heartened plot of economic issues and modern American culture.
Nevertheless, the entire movie, which sometimes seems not to "go" anywhere at times, is a good demonstration of the times and a man and women, beaten down by their own personal demons, still fighting and struggling to gain what they need to continue forward.
Other notable mentions in the movie were the facts of spouses and familiar faces to the other actors and writers, the overall lack of moralistic controversial issues that would have strayed from the theme, and the forward movement thinking that over 40 or over 50 does not mean you are dead.
Unfortunately, some dislikes I had for this particular movie was the free-spirited young girl leaving school to open her own shop when she could become much more business-minded by completing her education, and thus learning how to avoid issues that might crop up in the industry. Another item that seemed to be mentioned more than once was the racial references to the African-Americans "lack of opportunity because of the color of their skin." I found that rather insulting at times during the movie.
As one viewer said, "This was a light-hearted movie that didn't need extra emotional material but was able to still convey an overall theme of issues that are facing almost 10 percent of the American workforce."
Many times when sequels are developed from good plots, viewers often question why add something that will perhaps diminish the good of the original movie plot. However, at the end of Larry Crowne, I am hoping that there will be sequel which would demonstrate more of the state of our country's economic affairs and perhaps see the character, Larry Crowne, establishing himself as a an eventual teacher.
Almost any modern movie these days, viewers have to worry about what they are walking into and will be seeing. Several times I have paid good money to see a movie and then regretted even wasting a dollar – that is if movies would even cost a dollar.
Nevertheless, the blurb of a man who loses his job and ends up going back to school and, therefore, takes better control over his life was an irresistible theme to watch how it would play out. Many of us have been in this position and the numbers are increasing in this direction every day.
Tom Hanks played this role as Larry Crowne, written by Hanks and Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) very well from demonstrating at the outset that he was a professional, hardworking individual who gets dealt a lousy hand. Individuals who get stuck in the same predicament because something in life prevented them from obtaining a college degree, understands this theme even more than other common movie attendees. Toward the end of the movie when he sees one of his rivals undergoing a similar issue, his reaction is stupendous and envious of even the more embittered unemployed.
Frankly, the Julia Roberts character was also prevalent of the times where working women nowadays often have to support deadbeat husbands – but mainly "boyfriends" – who live off their women's salaries while undertaking extracurricular activities with someone else. Unfortunately, this is a recurring problem that is happening more and more frequently in the current times where women will do anything in order to keep a man, even allow his disrespect of their homes, wages, bodies and sometimes their children.
I found the rather humorous subplot of the alternative transportation and subsequent group rather lightening for such a sometimes down heartened plot of economic issues and modern American culture.
Nevertheless, the entire movie, which sometimes seems not to "go" anywhere at times, is a good demonstration of the times and a man and women, beaten down by their own personal demons, still fighting and struggling to gain what they need to continue forward.
Other notable mentions in the movie were the facts of spouses and familiar faces to the other actors and writers, the overall lack of moralistic controversial issues that would have strayed from the theme, and the forward movement thinking that over 40 or over 50 does not mean you are dead.
Unfortunately, some dislikes I had for this particular movie was the free-spirited young girl leaving school to open her own shop when she could become much more business-minded by completing her education, and thus learning how to avoid issues that might crop up in the industry. Another item that seemed to be mentioned more than once was the racial references to the African-Americans "lack of opportunity because of the color of their skin." I found that rather insulting at times during the movie.
As one viewer said, "This was a light-hearted movie that didn't need extra emotional material but was able to still convey an overall theme of issues that are facing almost 10 percent of the American workforce."
Many times when sequels are developed from good plots, viewers often question why add something that will perhaps diminish the good of the original movie plot. However, at the end of Larry Crowne, I am hoping that there will be sequel which would demonstrate more of the state of our country's economic affairs and perhaps see the character, Larry Crowne, establishing himself as a an eventual teacher.