Tom Hanks’ ‘That Thing You Do!’ hits the right notes

BY JAY BOBBIN

Thanks to a music group named The Wonders, which didn’t actually exist, the fans of “That Thing You Do!” are many on its 27th anniversary.

Written by co-star Tom Hanks, who also made his directing debut on the film, the 1996 musicalcomedy – currently streaming on Hulu – charts the rapid rise and equally fast fall of a small-town 1960s band that hits it big after the suddenly necessary replacement of its drummer, played by Tom Everett Scott. He sets a new beat for the group, literally, and their locally popular single (which shares the movie’s title) zooms up the charts as a result.

That’s thanks to a savvy talent agent (Hanks) who steers The Wonders on a path that many actual music acts of the era followed ... appearing in a concert tour, in a “Beach Party”-type movie, and on an “Ed Sullivan Show”-type variety series. Hanks clearly has a deep affinity for that era, since all of those events are depicted with loving authenticity that’s warmly nostalgic at the same time it’s knowingly amusing.

The other Wonders are represented superbly by the rest of the main cast: Steve Zahn as the wry guitar player who maintains a healthy skepticism about what’s happening to all of them; Ethan Embry as the naive bass player who’s happy to go along simply for wherever the ride takes them; and Johnathon Schaech as the moody, hyper-serious songwriter and and singer and guitarist. Liv Tyler is charming as the latter’s girlfriend, who travels with the band as the members’ “wardrobe mistress,” though she’s principally their prime cheerleader.

Much of the music (cleverly evoking familiar ‘60s hits) for “That Thing You Do!” was composed by Adam Schlesinger, the later “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” maestro who very sadly became an early casualty of the coronavirus pandemic. Hanks also had a big hand on composing the soundtrack, which ranges from bouncy tunes to sentimental ballads, and even to the theme of the aforementioned TV variety show that enjoyably features Hanks’ “Bosom Buddies” partner Peter Scolari as host “Troy Chesterfield.” (Also notable on that fake show: a pre-stardom Bryan Cranston, intentionally stiff as strange-to-celebrity astronaut Gus Grissom.)

The wonderful irony of “That Thing You Do!” is that by being set in a certain time, it’s timeless. A viewer will find even more to love by recognizing its pop-culture elements of the period (extending to a clip from the marionette-starring adventure series “Fireball XL5”), but even if audience members lack that knowledge, multiple-threat talent Hanks created a piece of entertainment that will continue to enchant generations.