Overview
A catchy tune and a dream of fame take a group of friends on a wild ride through the music scene.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- warm
- nostalgic
- lazy sunday
- music movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film charming, breezy, funny, and highly entertaining, praising its affectionate period atmosphere and music while noting its slight narrative and limited complexity.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Wonders become nationally famous after their single takes off, embodying the temporary celebrity of many mid-1960s bands.
The band forms in the wake of the Beatles' breakthrough in America, and its sound and career are shaped by that pop-cultural shift.
Guy Patterson leaves his unhappy work in the family appliance store when drumming gives him access to a wider musical life.
Recording sessions, live shows, and the band's breakout single make musical performance central to the film's storytelling.
Films like That Thing You Do!, and why
Almost Famous
warm period music comedy about an aspiring band navigating sudden fame, creative tensions, and the fleeting nature of pop success
A Star Is Born
ensemble coming-of-age music drama centered on young performers, romantic complications, and the pressures of the entertainment industry
The Commitments
lighthearted rock-and-roll comedy with an affectionate period setting, charismatic ensemble, and memorable original songs
Eddie and the Cruisers
nostalgic ensemble comedy-drama about ordinary young people chasing artistic ambition and finding brief cultural success
Movie Details
- Director
- Tom Hanks
- Release Date
- 1996-10-04
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (952)
Cast
- Tom Hanks
- Tom Everett Scott
- Liv Tyler
- Johnathon Schaech
- Steve Zahn
- Ethan Embry
- Charlize Theron
- Obba Babatundé
- Giovanni Ribisi
- Chris Ellis
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Wonder Project Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is That Thing You Do! about?
- A small-town Pennsylvania drummer joins a fledgling 1960s rock band and rides one irresistible hit through the exhilaration and instability of sudden fame.
- What is That Thing You Do! like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of That Thing You Do! as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is That Thing You Do! violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in That Thing You Do!.
- What did critics think of That Thing You Do!?
- Critics broadly found the film charming, breezy, funny, and highly entertaining, praising its affectionate period atmosphere and music while noting its slight narrative and limited complexity.
- Which films are like That Thing You Do!?
- Films with a similar feel include Almost Famous, A Star Is Born, The Commitments, and Eddie and the Cruisers.
- How long is That Thing You Do!?
- That Thing You Do! runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch That Thing You Do!?
- In United States, That Thing You Do! streams on Wonder Project Amazon Channel.
