Investigative journalist Lloyd Vogel (Mathew Rhys) is asked to deliver four hundred words on children’s television presenter Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks). However when they meet Lloyd finds himself unable to deliver such a simple assignment on such a complex figure.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood is a unique film in content, style and by virtue of the fact that for an Englishman I truly had no idea of who Mr. Rogers was until I saw the trailer for this film. A beloved American children’s television presenter for over thirty years he comes across as the nicest man to exist, however the film makes him a supporting character to Lloyd Vogel. Lloyd is struggling with his personal life with the return of an absent father (Chris Cooper) whom he hates for past transgressions and the difficulty of juggling work with the arrival of his new son. It is through the sphere of Fred and Lloyd’s interactions that we see the caring nature of Mr. Rogers and why he brought his television show to the screen.

The filmmakers have decided to use the structure and world of Mr. Rogers children’s show to present their film. The film uses models to represent the city skylines and travel in planes throughout the film and switches to an old fashioned 4:3 aspect ratio whenever it is telling the story from the perspective of the tv show. Having subsequently watched clips of the original show it is amazing how well they have replicated the look and feel of it which also leads us to Hanks performance. Who better to play the nicest man in the world than the nicest man in Hollywood? Again referring to clips of Mr. Rogers it is fascinating to see how well Hanks replicates his mannerisms.

I was fascinated throughout. It is the sort of film that makes you want to reevaluate your perspective on life and your relationships with others and genuinely be a better person. I think that there will probably be only two reactions, one of disbelief and revulsion and one of overwhelming happiness that actually makes you cry. It will probably be a surprise to some that it doesn’t actually turn into a horror film such is our cynicism that someone could be that considered without hiding something.