First off, I was never a fan of Mister Rogers (we were a Sesame Street household), but I don’t think that affected my opinion of this deadly dull film (I gave 4 stars to last year’s doc about him). Secondly, this is NOT a biopic, but a singular story about how a dour, cynical writer for Esquire learned to open his heart after his encounters with the famous TV star. Tom Hanks plays Rogers with a bland sweetness that rarely captures the warmth of Rogers. This whole affair feels like a Hallmark special with overcharged emotions and predictable dramatic developments. The pacing echoes the pacing on Rogers’ show… glacial. The “cute” framing of this true story as a Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood episode was an original approach, but it couldn’t elevate the plodding treacle of this tribute.
(2 / 5)