Episode 132 - T. Hanks for the 80’s

Before he was Forrest Gump...Before he became America’s Dad...Tom Hanks almost killed his career in the 1980’s with a string of mediocre, low-box-office comedies where he basically played the same role repeatedly - the charming, lovable, unthreatening, wisecracking everyman. Apart from making a big splash with enormous hits like Big and Splash, there is little to distinguish most of his movies made in the Me Decade. Which got us to thinking: How did the 80’s not manage to sink Tom Hanks entirely? Because about 93% of his filmography from this era is pretty awful, if we’re being honest. Don’t get us wrong, there are a few underappreciated gems in the lot, to be sure, and we’ll mostly be touching on those. Join us for a look back at a time before he was a superstar and T. Hanks for the memories! | 0:00 - Intros | 4:45 - Watchmen (HBO, 2019) | 9:15 - Burr (Vidal, Gore) | 12:30 - Half in the Bag reviews Jack and Jill (2011) | 16:00 - Lucy (2014) | 21:35 - Star Trek Picard (2020) | 26:50 - Hunters (Amazon, 2020) | 29:50 - Absolutely Fabulous | 32:00 - Community | 36:25 - Tom Hanks | 47:15 - Bachelor Party (1984) | 53:00 - The Money Pit (1986) | Clips | Scratching The Itch - Sex Cult Girl | Gary Bennett - My Life | Kool & the Gang - Fresh / clip from Bridesmaids / B-Side - Change the Beat | Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - A Stronger, Loving World - Watchmen Vol. 03 | Clip from Jack & Jill (2011) - Al Pacino Dunkin Donuts | Eric Serra - Pleasant Drive In Paris | Jeff Russo - Star Trek Picard Main Title | Trevor Gureckis - Hunters - Main Title | Julie Driscoll and Adrian Edmondson - This Wheel’s on Fire | The 88 - At Least It Was Here | Mentos Jingle / Outkast - So Fresh and So Clean / Devo - Fresh | Oingo Boingo - Bachelor Party | Stephen Bishop - The Heart is so Willing | Clip from The Money Pit (1986) | Tom Hanks and Dan Ackroyd - City of Crime | The Art of Noise - Dragnet | Clips from Dragnet (1987) | Clip from Dragnet (1967) | Clip from Punchline (1988) | BUCKWHEAT GROATS - Tom Hanks