2019 Rental Roundup 3: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, The Addams Family

Please allow me to sneak in one more rental roundup for 2019 before the buzzer sounds on 2020. Trust me when I say this would look absolutely ridiculous next week.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

I’m really at a loss as to what the definition of biopic even is at this point.

The latest confusing example is a movie that takes place over one year in which the subject of the alleged biography isn’t even the main character. You would be excused for expecting to see something more Fred-centric in a Mr. Rodgers biopic. However, he is just a manic-pixie dream girl supporting cast member who fixes the life of the not-Mr. Rodgers main character.

Tom Hanks was a bit miscast here. He worked very hard on the mannerisms, but he’s noticeably too large for the role and his voice often comes off as more like his Walt Disney from Saving Mr. Banks.

A great deal of care was taken in other parts, though. The set of Mister Rogers Neighborhood was lovingly and painstakingly recreated on its original sound stage. Nearly all the surviving cast and crew members have a wonderful little cameo scene.

Verdict: Flat.

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The Addams Family

There are two courteous things I can say about this movie. The genuine one is that they made the very correct decision to not Tim Burton it. The damning with faint praise one is that this is a gateway drug to the Addamseseses.

You know, something weaker than the good stuff that might help newbies ease into it. Problem is, nobody needs to ease into the Addams Family franchise.

There were a number of lines that should have been customary, but had a difficult time with. The adjective reversal typical of the Addams was wildly inconsistent (for example, Gomez repeatedly wishes someone will have a “good day” instead of cheerfully endorsing a bad one.

While the Addams are an easy set of characters to deliver a “be yourself” message with, the writing frankly took an amateurish amount of liberties with the characters and the setting to the point of making it look forced.

It also rolls out the same ending for Fester that he got in Addams Family Values, and I’m now deeply concerned that it will become a trope for the franchise.

Verdict: Flat. There’s a few good moments to be had, and the CG allows for much more direct references to the original comic’s design, but it strays far enough from the core concept all but renders the use of the franchise pointless.