Tom Hanks names “one of the most amazing films I’ve ever seen”
During the 1990s, it seemed as though Tom Hanks’ presence on screen was unavoidable. Whether you love him or loathe him, you can’t deny the impact that Hanks has had on mainstream cinema, defining the childhoods of many cinema-goers through his often loveable roles.
While he began acting in the ‘80s, starring in major box office successes like Splash, Big and Turner and Hooch, it was the following decade that truly established him as a star. Hanks appeared in countless hits during the final decade of the century, racking up an impressive list of credits, from A League of Their Own to Forrest Gump, Toy Story and Saving Private Ryan.
Since then, the actor has continued to appear in major movies, from The Polar Express to The Post and Elvis. With multiple Academy Awards to his name and a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most beloved stars, Hanks is considered film royalty.
In an interview with Oprah, Hanks revealed that he is often drawn to working on projects which have a “moral dilemma” present in the narrative. He explained, “The reason most of us go to the movies is to be involved in someone else’s moral dilemma.”
Detailing further, he added, “You know there’s something happening on the screen that is bigger than the lives we lead, but that is still recognizable to a 14-year-old in Oakland. I’m not looking for that when I read a script, but I am knocked out by it when I see it. And I’m almost always amazed when others ask me to be involved in something like that.“
This led Hanks to use one of his favourite movies, Taxi Driver, as an example, which he called “one of the most amazing films I’ve ever seen”. Directed by Martin Scorsese, Taxi Driver was one of the defining movies of the 1970s, becoming a key part of the New Hollywood era. Dealing with urban decay and isolation, the movie depicts the mental disintegration of war veteran Travis Bickle as he drives through the neon-lit streets of New York City.
Here, he encounters pimps and underage prostitutes alongside other forms of crime and general industrial filth, which facilitates his transformation into a gun-wielding madman. As viewers, we are forced to consider whether we sympathise with Travis or not as he becomes more and more disengaged from reality.
Robert De Niro’s performance as Travis remains one of the greatest of his career, cementing him as one of the industry’s most impressive stars. Hanks has surely taken inspiration from De Niro’s complex portrayal of a man suffering from extreme mental health issues when performing similarly layered roles in his own career. The movie is widely regarded as a masterpiece; thus, it is no surprise that a cinematic heavyweight like Hanks is of this assumption, too.
