That Thing You Do! (1996)

A Pennsylvania band scores a hit in 1964 and rides the star-making machinery as long as it can, with lots of help from its manager.

Director:

Tom Hanks

Writer:

Tom Hanks

Stars:

Tom Hanks, Liv Tyler, Charlize Theron

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Everett Scott	...	Guy Patterson
Liv Tyler	...	Faye Dolan
Johnathon Schaech	...	Jimmy Mattingly
Steve Zahn	...	Lenny Haise
Ethan Embry	...	T. B. Player
Tom Hanks	...	Mr. White
Charlize Theron	...	Tina
Obba Babatundé	...	Lamarr
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Chad
Chris Ellis	...	Phil Horace
Alex Rocco	...	Sol Siler
Bill Cobbs	...	Del Paxton
Peter Scolari	...	Troy Chesterfield
Rita Wilson	...	Marguerite
Chris Isaak	...	Uncle Bob

Storyline

Recounts a fable of a pop rock band formed a year after the Beatles took America by storm in early 1964. Jazz aficionado Guy Patterson, unhappily toiling in the family appliance store, is recruited into the band the Oneders (later renamed the Wonders) after regular drummer Chad breaks his arm. After Guy injects a four/four rock beat into lead singer Jimmy's ballad, the song's undeniable pop power flings the Wonders into a brief whirlwind of success, telling the tale of many American bands who attempted to grab the brass ring of rock and roll in the wake of the British Invasion.

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Plot Keywords:

Band | Pennsylvania | Song | Appliance Store | Jazz | 

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Taglines:

In every life there comes a time when that dream you dream becomes that thing you do.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 October 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

¡Eso que tú haces!

Filming Locations:

490 Prospect Boulevard, Pasadena, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$26,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

ITL 107,230,000 (Italy) (30 May 1997)

Gross:

ITL 187,396,000 (Italy) (6 June 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Clavius Base, Clinica Estetico, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min 149 min (Director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jennifer York, the bass player for the female group in the Mercyhurst Talent Show scene, was bass player for the Contemporary Christian Music "girl band" Rachel Rachel, who recorded two albums for Word.

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Goofs

(At 1:30:00, Director's cut) While the Wonders are in the booth for the early morning "interview" show in L.A., as the camera pans around the DJ, the back of the Canadian pop LP Fields of Fire, released in 1988 by Corey Hart, is visible at the back of the stack of LPs.

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Quotes

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.

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Crazy Credits

Goofy is listed as "Himself"

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood's Top Ten: Kennedy Era Movies (2011)
#9

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Soundtracks

"Ohio State Fair"
Written by Mike Piccirillo

User Reviews

That Thing You Do - A Review By Jo Henshaw

That Thing You Do! In every life there becomes a time when that dream you dream becomes that thing you do.

That Thing You Do begins with a group of friends practising for their college talent show. Their band - the amusingly named One-ders win the contest with their catchy song - That Thing You Do. But this is only the beginning of their success story. In a blur, the newly renamed Wonders become a hit - playing at their local clubs, and then moving on to a national tour with Playtone records under the guidance of Mr White (Tom Hanks) The beauty of the film is there is no conflict, just the excitement and exhilaration that the band feels as they become celebrities and this is can't be shown better than in the scene where they first hear their song on the radio and they are literally dancing in the street, you can't help but feel happy for them too. Tom Everett Scott plays the charming Guy Patterson - the electrical store assistant who becomes the band's drummer and a national sex symbol with his trademark sunglasses. Lenny (Steve Zahn) is the carefree guitarist who sees the bands success as a huge lark and just throws himself into enjoying every day. Jimmy (James) Mattingly II is the band's creativity - writing the songs

• and also its serious side. He sees the commercialisation of the wonders

as stifling his creativity and is reluctant to sign anything to do with his music. Liv Tyler is also a delight as Jimmy's girlfriend Faye and the band's biggest supporter. The success of That Thing You do lies in the little things that are so easy to miss yet are the glue that brings the whole film together. Watch out for how well Guy's family react to his success and how the bands first drummer with the broken arm keeps turning up. Also notice how it is Guy that keeps looking out for Faye. It is these little things that will bring you to the film and that find you leaving with a smile and a desire to see it again.