A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (PG)

When Lloyd Vogel, a jaded journalist, gears up for his latest feature profile on children’s TV personality Fred Rogers, he approaches it with cynicism. But as friendship blossoms between the two men, Lloyd begins to re-evaluate his whole outlook on life. This beautiful story based on true events stars Tom Hanks, Susan Kelechi Watson and Matthew Rhys.

Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) is an award-winning and successful magazine journalist. But as the years have passed, he’s grown cynical about the world around him. So, when given his next feature, he only begrudgingly agrees.

Tasked with writing a profile for Esquire magazine on the much-loved children’s television personality Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks), the jaded journalist is unenthused, to say the least.

Lloyd is initially taken aback by Fred’s warmth and passion, especially as the personable presenter explains that his main motivation in life is to make people happy. However, as the assignment progresses and the two men spend more time together, Lloyd begins to rethink his cynicism.

As friendship grows between the pair, Fred helps the world-weary writer learn to overcome his scepticism, inspiring him instead to treat everyone with kindness. Seeing empathy and decency again, Lloyd begins to experience the world in a whole new way and changes his perspective on life.

Directed by the up-and-coming Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl), this beautiful drama is based on the true friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod, on whom Vogel is based, and stars two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks (Toy Story 4, The Post, Sully: Miracle on the Hudson). He’s joined by Susan Kelechi Watson (The Blacklist, This Is Us) and Emmy winner Matthew Rhys (Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, The Americans, The Post).

Cert: PG

Running time: 1hr 49mins