Larry Crowne | Movie Review

Hey there ... Happy New Year :) It's the very first post in 2012. A movie review will do.

Larry Crowne made my first rainy Sunday morning in the very first day of 2012. The duo Hollywood megastars, Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, star the movie. I am not into drama movies much, but when it comes to Tom Hanks, I will do watch them.

Larry Crowne Movie Poster
from Moviefanatic

The movie tells about Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks) who gets fired from the supermarket he used to work in for several years. It is a rather dramatic opening to watch Larry expecting his ninth employee of the month award but instead, he hears him being fired by the company’s management board. The reason is just simple, that is because he does not have advanced education level. Judging from the setting of the time, the movie seems describing the condition of the current slump US economy.

Larry then enrolls to a nearby college, as suggested by his neighbor, in which he took classes on public speaking and economy. There, he made friends with scooter clubs, or gangsters as some characters in the movie refer to them. And, he also meets with Mercedes (Julia Roberts) an unhappy and distressed lecturer and wife teaching the public speaking class. Then the romance revolves around although it is not the main concern of the movie.

Larry Crowne offers its audience with profound messages. The emphasis of this movie is on education rather than love. The movie is like saying that you must keep on studying no matter how old you are. Larry Crowne serves as an embodiment of a retarded man but strives to achieve betterment in his life through education. He does not lament on him being fired for long. He stands up and tries to make sure that he will never be underestimated just because he does not have formal higher education.

The movie also serves as a realization of an old saying “blessing in disguise”. He gets one unfortunate in his life, being fired, but then he receives more than that. He gets education, friend, another work that he really masters in, and eventually, love. His previously normal life is ruptured but then he gets more than his normal life in the end. The movie shows its audience that life means you no harm. There are always good things waiting for you along your life journey.

However, as a Tom Hank movie watcher, I must say that it is a little bit off Tom Hanks standard. The plot is so classical Hollywood and easily predicted. Besides, Tom Hank’s acting skill is not really exploited in this movie. He’s got more than that. Frankly, I am a little bit disappointed by that. So, to sum my review of this movie, I will give the movie 7 of my 10 points. Well, it’s a pretty good movie to watch with your families after all.