![People are seriously debating whether Tom Hanks has ever starred in a great movie](https://www.indy100.com/media-library/image.png?id=28055892&width=1245&height=700&quality=85&coordinates=111%2C0%2C111%2C0)
Sparked by end of year lists – and god knows what else, potentially boredom – people are starting to wonder whether beloved actor Tom Hanks has ever actually been in a good movie.
Yes, he’s been in many classic films – notably romcoms like Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail – but his breakout role was in Forrest Gump, widely considered to be a contemporary classic. But people on Twitter seem to be having a discussion about whether Hanks has actually had a good filmography – or just a prolific one – after an end of year list from Vulture, where Will Leitch and Tom Grierson ranked all of the films that Hanks has ever been in. Some would suggest that Hanks might be a versatile actor, but he does tend to play a version of the same person – well-intentioned, everyman – in every film.
This tweet seemed to be the match that lit the fire – which has continued to rage for several days.
Reading this list, I'm struck by the realization that, for all his amazing talent and versatility, Tom Hanks has ne… https://t.co/8TmMuJVTPP— Jordan Michael Smith (@Jordan Michael Smith) 1609022575
Of course, no one’s arguing that every single movie that Hanks has played a role in is flawless – there is, after all, He Knows You’re Alone, Hanks’ film debut which was also a horror movie that knocked off Halloween very obviously. But his star turns in films like A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood – about Mr.Rogers, which came out last year – A League of their Own, and of course, Cast Away – would indicate that he’s a great actor who’s been in several great films.
People disagreed – as they are likely to do on Twitter – to varying degrees.
people hate this tweet, but Jimmy Stewart was great and Tom Hanks is a miserable actor who has never been in a grea… https://t.co/Ced6VLzmZi— Noah Berlatsky (@Noah Berlatsky) 1609042756
Seeing a lot of debate about whether or not Tom Hanks has ever appeared in a great movie. He has not.— Will Sloan (@Will Sloan) 1609075182
Some pointed out that great films can also be entertaining – they don’t have to be great in the most pretentious sense of the word.
@JordanMSmith_ @vulture I’m calling BS on this statement. No “great movies”... no classics? Apollo 14 Saving Privat… https://t.co/UQjPm4RH4g— Adrienne Pan (@Adrienne Pan) 1609028550
@JordanMSmith_ @vulture A League of Their Own?— Ⓐⓝⓓⓡⓔⓦ Ⓜⓘⓛⓝⓔⓡ (@Ⓐⓝⓓⓡⓔⓦ Ⓜⓘⓛⓝⓔⓡ) 1609024001
@JordanMSmith_ @vulture Oh come on. This was bullshit when The Onion tried it with Meryl Streep and it's bullshit with Tom Hanks now.— Kevin Klawitter (@Kevin Klawitter) 1609025816
@JordanMSmith_ @vulture Counterpoint: with the exception of the Davinci Code stuff, all Tom Hanks movies are great.— jonstokes(\.com|\.eth) (@jonstokes(\.com|\.eth)) 1609022783
@WriterJMS @vulture I dare you to create a better animation (Toy Story), courtroom drama (Philadelphia), feminist s… https://t.co/VPEkHbCUOd— Jason Fraley (@Jason Fraley) 1609108475
@JordanMSmith_ @vulture This cannot be a serious tweet— Rocco Botte (@Rocco Botte) 1609053049
@JordanMSmith_ @vulture Counterpoint: The Burbs— Peter Rugg (@Peter Rugg) 1609025348
Yesterday I re-learned an important lesson on Twitter: never say what three Tom Hanks movies you think are really g… https://t.co/s2QUWDy4o8— Jesse Hawken (@Jesse Hawken) 1609078902
that "Tom Hanks has never appeared in a great movie" take is the trash we need to take out in 2020, jesus goddamn christ.— ✍🏼 roxana | ✊🏼 zivar | ⚒️ hadadi (@✍🏼 roxana | ✊🏼 zivar | ⚒️ hadadi) 1609027432
Some asked whether it was just another way of demonstrating that taste was subjective.
@JordanMSmith_ @vulture What do you consider a "great movie"?— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈 (@Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈) 1609080397
@WriterJMS @vulture “Greatness” is obviously subjective, but given that Hanks has 10-12 films that are generally un… https://t.co/QRRDI7OKQx— B-Dilly (@B-Dilly) 1609120587
If you think Tom Hanks has never been in a great movie you should probably get your head checked by one of those br… https://t.co/p9DDMs3kDx— Sonny Bunch (@Sonny Bunch) 1609031230
If you think Tom Hanks has never been in a great movie, I can’t help you. Like if you want to come out and just say… https://t.co/6d3sXsp0zB— Matt Goldberg (@Matt Goldberg) 1609032812
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but Tom Hanks has been in SEVERAL great films and is an actor of PEERLESS skil… https://t.co/a0Rvh1Cvcd— Adam B. Vary (@Adam B. Vary) 1609036075
Others pointed out that films like Toy Story might not be considered arthouse classics, but are definitely great.
For the record on Tom Hanks: Big is a classic. Saving Private Ryan and Captain Phillips are great films. For me, Th… https://t.co/GkaiWDZl6p— The Rude Pundit (@The Rude Pundit) 1609091624
But one tweet seemed to suggest that we should just leave this discussion behind in 2020.
that "Tom Hanks has never appeared in a great movie" take is the trash we need to take out in 2020, jesus goddamn christ.— ✍🏼 roxana | ✊🏼 zivar | ⚒️ hadadi (@✍🏼 roxana | ✊🏼 zivar | ⚒️ hadadi) 1609027432
Maybe it’s not a bad idea. After all, if two people can’t agree on whether Toy Story is a good movie or not (it is), then maybe all of these conversations won’t lead us anywhere particularly useful.