Larry Crowne

Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts reunite onscreen for a small, quaint little film, which was light and fluffy, and went down like comfort food.

Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks' character), high-achieving employee at UMart, has hit the ceiling for career advancement due to his lack of college education, and a college degree, and is unceremoniously let go.  In order to make a change, Larry goes back to college, and there he makes friends, learns from his professors, and finds a spark between himself and Prof. Tainot (Julia Roberts' character), who is in a crumbling marriage (hubby played by Bryan Cranston). 

Tom Hanks directed, and co-wrote (with Nia Vardalos) this film, and it's a throwback to character-driven movies where characters are all but down and out, and find a way back to the business of living with unexpected help from literally new blood/people in his life.  The movie's tone is quite suited for its story, and paced very well.  The film does ask the audience to buy into some of the premises to make the story work, and it's hit-or-miss at times as the supporting characters are somewhat broadly drawn and not fully realized.  I have to say that I did not recognize Wilmer Valderrama until the 2nd or 3rd time I saw him in the movie.

But overall, not a bad way to spend an afternoon matinee viewing, especially since Hanks and Roberts still have good onscreen chemistry.

I give it 2.75 stars, or a grade of B-.