Why Tom Hanks Should Return to Comedy
We all know Tom Hanks is an iconic fixture in the world of cinema with his highly prolific filmography making him instantly recognizable. Hanks is an instantly likable guy with the penchant for playing the charming everyman who everybody can root for bringing a human quality to all of his roles. He has carved quite the corner for himself in the foray of dramatic movies with pictures like Forrest Gump and the Green Mile but Hanks actually got his start in the comedic genre with hits like Big and Turner & Hooch not to mention many others which have made him a seminal comedic voice. Hanks started transitioning away from the comedic genre to the dramatic film genre for the most part starting in the 90s and has solidified himself as a star in Hollywood capable of great range and it is my opinion that it would be a really great idea for Hanks to return to making comedies again in the present day.
As previously stated Hanks has proven himself a great comedic talent whether its him as Micheal J. Fox’s fugitive Uncle in the 80s sitcom Family Ties, the kid who turns into the lovable goofy adult Tom Hanks in Big, or even as Fox the cynical but downright affable bookstore owner opposite Meg Ryan in You’ve Got Mail and that's only to mention a few pictures of his highly prolific career as a comedian. He manages to enfuse a charming everyman quality into these roles combined with phenomenal comic timing that in turn makes for highly entertaining results onscreen. In all these roles he not only delivers comedy gold but also manages to portray characters that call for dramatic chops which is most likely a key part of what makes him such a good dramatic actor today. I don’t think Hanks should stop doing character work but the beginning of his career showcases him as a great comedic talent and that makes a superb case for him to return to making comedies now. Hanks has just as much comedic chops now if not more as he did back in the 80s and 90s due to his seasoning as an versatile actor and if he returned to making comedies now we could see some highly inventive and creative hits on our hands.
The Range of Hanks
Hanks turned himself into a highly sought after actor with dramatic portrayals in films such as Forrest Gump and Apollo 13 and in recent years he has carved quite a niche for himself by starring in a series of phenomenal true story films including Captain Phillips and Sully. I haven’t seen his latest release News of the World but based on the trailers it looks like another home run for the thespian. Hanks has certainly cemented himself as a dramatic commodity but that's no reason why he shouldn’t return to making comedies now. Imagine seeing Hanks in a comedy and a drama in the same year and what the results could be. We could see Hanks show us what he has got in terms of character work in a new drama and then later that year give us a throwback to his comedy days with a new comedy with an updated twist to bring modern comedy sensibilities to the table. That's not to negate the 80s and 90s style of comedies and actually seeing Hanks bringing that type of energy back to comedies would be a terrific idea if executed properly. However not surprisingly in Hanks’ comedies he shows a lot of dramatic colors in his characters and in his dramas he shows a lot of comedic colors which proves he can play both to great effect. In Cast Away for example he mines comedic gold out of playing Noland stuck on an deserted island after a fatal plane crash with his best buddy the volleyball Wilson while also bringing out the painstaking trauma of such an experience at the same time. Hanks is an asset to the cinematic community that shouldn’t be restricted to just playing in comedies or dramas and the ways that he could return to comedy are limitless.
Tom Hanks and Tim Allen
If Hanks returned to comedy he wouldn’t have to do it alone and in fact he could join an ensemble comedy filled with other heavyweight comedic/dramatic talents or he could be in a two hero picture with another key alley from his cinematic past, Tim Allen. Hanks and Allen are famous for their work together in the Toy Story films as Woody and Buzz Lightyear and so far the two haven’t played in live-action together but they almost did a decade ago in a Jungle Cruise movie which is now being reimagined as a star vehicle for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Emily Blunt. Seeing Hanks and Allen grace the silver screen together in a comedy would be fantastic as the two are not only great talents but have a friendship which would translate into great onscreen chemistry. Allen is currently filming his final season of Last Man Standing so after that wraps he should be free to start making movies again and with two long-running sitcoms and a highly prolific filmography under his belt a comedy starring him and his iconic co-star Tom Hanks would be nothing short of excellent. The comedy wouldn’t even have to be a straight up comedy it could be something more along the lines of Cast Away or Catch Me If You Can both dramatic films by Hanks that bleed in plenty of comedy.
Conclusion
Hanks was actually almost cast in the 200th episode of Friends as a the male nanny of Ross and Rachel’s daughter Emily until he had to drop out at the last minute and with his background acting on sitcoms from his time on Family Ties a return to comedy in the form of TV would be quite spectacular as well. He could show up as a special guest star during the final season of Last Man Standing or he could even put his comedic and dramatic chops to good use on the eccentric procedural NCIS which could make for highly entertaining and unpredictable results. This all goes to show that Hanks is a seminal cinematic talent and even though he has seemingly left behind his days a comedic actor for a career in drama there's no reason why he shouldn’t be highlighting his talents as a comedic actor in parallel to his talents as a dramatic performer. And who knows Hanks is only 64 years old, he might be acting for another 10 or 20 years which could result in dozens more Hanks comedies and dramas for decades to come.
Comments
Post a Comment