3. Larry Crowne - Larry Crowne
Tom Hanks may have mastered the role of being a bankable and talented actor, yet he seems to get tripped up when he goes behind the camera to direct a film. His directorial debut, That Thing You Do! was an adequate little comedy about a one hit wonder pop band, but nothing to write home about. It took 15 years until Hanks made his sophomore effort, which would be the lifeless Larry Crowne. Hanks plays the title character, a happy go lucky guy who's life takes a nasty turn when he is fired from a Walmart-esque store while he is nearing his twilight years. Without direction and fearing financial ruin, Larry buys a scooter and enrolls in a College course to better his career. At that point an interesting set up just gets bogged down with too many supporting characters and subplots that really seem to go nowhere for the entire film's run time. Hanks, maybe too tired from running around the set as both director, producer and co-writer just seems to be phoning this one in, trying to play an everyman yet still coming off as a movie star. His chemistry with co-star Julia Roberts is also off, as the on screen relationship between the two seems to ramble just as much as this snooze-fest does.