Larry Crowne (2011)

After losing his job, a middle-aged man reinvents himself by going back to college.

Director:

Tom Hanks

Writers:

Tom Hanks, Nia Vardalos

Stars:

Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Sarah Mahoney

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Hanks	...	Larry Crowne
Sarah Mahoney	...	Samantha
Roxana Ortega	...	Alvarez
Randall Park	...	Trainee Wong
Brady Rubin	...	Dorothy Genkos
Alex Quijano	...	Team Leader #1
Tina Huang	...	Team Leader #2
E-Kan Soong	...	Team Leader #3
Tarina Pouncy	...	Team Leader #4
Sy Richardson	...	Avery
Julie Wagner	...	Vacuum Shopper
Rob Riggle	...	Jack Strang
Erin Underwood	...	Mom with Baby
Dale Dye	...	Cox
Barry Sobel	...	Cubby

Storyline

Until he was downsized, affable, amiable Larry Crowne (Hanks) was a superstar team leader at the big-box company where he's worked since his time in the Navy. Underwater on his mortgage and unclear on what to do with his suddenly free days, Larry heads to his local college to start over. There he becomes part of a colorful community of outcasts, also-rans and the overlooked all trying to find a better future for themselves...often moving around town in a herd of scooters. In his public-speaking class, Larry develops an unexpected crush on his teacher Mercedes Tainot (Roberts), who has lost as much passion for teaching as she has for her husband. The simple guy who has every reason to think his life has stalled will come to learn an unexpected lesson: when you think everything worth having has passed you by, you just might discover your reason to live.

---

Plot Keywords:

character name as title | unsuccessful | male protagonist | college | scooter | 

---

Taglines:

Never too late in life to start living.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language and some sexual content

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is the ninth Julia Roberts film with a music score composed by James Newton Howard.

---

Goofs

Dr. Matsutani in Econ 1 displays a second-semester textbook instead of a first-semester textbook.

---

Quotes

Mercedes Tainot: [low-key, dark sunglasses] Last night was a confluence of too many things happening in too short of a time span. Yeah. I believe there was an inappropriate exchange between teacher and student. I was worked up and under the influence of the demon rum. Reminded me of a spotty incident I once had with a parking lot attendant, which was... At any rate, I hope the entire thing can be forgiven and forgotten. If gossip of this nature were to circulate, it would be not only embarrassing, but my status ...
[...]

---

Crazy Credits

During the credits you can see on the left side of the screen rapidly appearing Chinese characters and English letters rotated 90 degrees clockwise. They are the tattoo that Talia has on her back and the translation, 'soy sauce'.

---

Connections

References Tae-Bo Workout: Basic (1999)

---

Soundtracks

Runnin' Down a Dream
Written by Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Mike Campbell (as Michael Campbell)
Performed by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Courtesy of Geffen Records
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

A polarizing film indeed

People love it or hate it, it seems.

Probably not among Hanks' classics, but I was downsized at the age of 51 a week before this movie came out.

Needless to say, it was an emotional experience.

A year and change later, I have the best job I've ever had. I watched it again, and the experience was still emotional, but this time it was triumph screaming in my soul instead of poignancy and worry.

Sue me, I loved it.

(addendum) God, is my review really too short to be submitted? Is brevity something to be penalized? I know a lot of people, and believe me, most of them err on the side of yakking too much. And here you are telling me my review must be lengthened. Geez. :-/

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [France] Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA France

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 July 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Talk of the Town

Filming Locations:

Reseda, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$13,096,065, 3 July 2011

Gross USA:

$35,608,245

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$75,055,070

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Vendome Pictures, StudioCanal

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS Datasat

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1