Over the past three decades, Tom Hanks has become one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors and a fixture on top-grossing productions. His big break came with the years 1988 Biga fantasy comedy directed by Penny Marsh, but it wasn’t until the early 1990s that it became the crème de la crème.
Appearing in philadelphia cream facing Denzel Washington in 1993 and Forrest Gump the following year, the Californian actor won his only two Oscars to date, both for Best Actor. The career high saw Hanks become the second actor, behind Spencer Tracy, to win back-to-back Best Actor Oscars.
After this apparent career peak, Hanks has maintained near-constant accolades over the years, appearing in a wide range of blockbuster films from the toy story franchised to Saving Private Ryan at Captain Phillips. In fact, Hanks’ back catalog is nothing short of staggering. Other than perhaps Leonardo DiCaprio, the consistency of Hanks’ successful appearances in films since the early ’90s is unmatched; but as with any actor, there have been a few buttons in the piggy bank.
Strangely, one of Hanks’ lowest-rated films came out in 1990 when he was on the verge of superstardom. satirical black comedy The bonfire of vanities was a promising project attracting a star-studded cast including Hanks, Melanie Griffith and Bruce Willis, but sadly it slumped at the box office and aged just as badly with internet-age reviews on Rotten Tomatoes giving it 16 for cent while the public was a little nicer, awarding it 26%.
Despite these jarring stats, Hanks’ post-peak career somehow stung Bonfire of the Vanities at the lowest. The circle, released in 2017, sees Hanks in a lead role opposite British actress Emma Watson. The film is based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Dave Eggers and follows the dystopian story of a multi-billion dollar tech company strikingly similar to Google or Apple.
After a lackluster premiere, some critics pointed out that the dystopia failed because most of the aspects seeking to shock already exist in modern society. Critics and audiences agreed it was worthy of little merit. With a critical score of 16% and an audience score of 21% on Rotten Tomatoes, it is currently Hanks’ lowest rated film to date.
“Bland performances from talented actors and dull direction from a very talented director,” said one reviewer. Another aimed at the film’s narrative angle: “[The Circle is] the kind of film that is convinced of its urgency and importance, even if viewers only see something obvious and disturbing.
Despite poor reviews, the film earned $20,497,844 at the US box office, making it director James Ponsoldt’s highest-grossing film to date. Any movie starring Hanks is likely to get initial attention and make a good buck at the box office, but as such occasions demonstrate, you can’t make a bad movie with good actors, and you can’t make a good movie with bad actors. .