Journalist LLoyd Vogel (Matthey Rhys) scoffs at the prospect of a profile commission, or a "puff piece", as he calls it. His self-respect and professional ruthlessness has driven people away and this assignment may well be a test from his editor. But it is serendipity that brings Lloyd to American TV host Mister Roger (Tom Hanks) and his child-oriented show, at a time when he, a new father, is confronted with his own paternal trauma. No heavy psychological lifting here, but A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood might be one of the most profound films about father-son relationships ever made. Notably, the film is directed by a woman, Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl). In her film as in his show, Mister Roger doesn't have to do much: he listens, he speaks, he suggests, and while his kindness may seem frustrating at times, it is truly radical. Additionally, Lloyd's character is based loosely on writer Tom Junod, whose encounter with Rogers ended up a profile in Esquire magazine.

The icon that Mister Roger was during the time his show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, ran between 1968 and 2001. A whole 33 years of unmatched devotion and an attitude full of softness can be condensed in two hours runtime by only one person in the world. You guessed it, that's Tom Hanks. If there ever was a perfect casting choice, this is it. Even if their physical appearances aren't as similar as one would expect from a biopic, you'll most likely finish the film convinced that Hanks is, indeed, Mister Roger. His work on the line delivery, the quiet and composed tone, the elastic cadences all build up a way more believable incarnation than any make up would. That said, in his performance, Hanks does manage to rearrange his facial mimics so that they match Fred Roger's welcoming grin and his focused look, the one that supposedly looks through the camera into the eyes of every single child watching his show.