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This article was originally published in 2018 and has been updated to reflect Ron Howards latest work.
That works particularly well in an industry that always loves a happy ending, realistic or not.
Howard and Hollywood have always been a perfect match … for better and for worse.
With the release ofhis latest filmHillbilly Elegy, were looking at Howards 27 features as a director.
The movie is essentially Tom Hanks sprinting through the Vatican yelling exposition at anyone within earshot.
Howard and Hanks made one more of these, because at this point, why not?
Thats the whole movie, pretty much.
(The Dan Brown films?
The Robert Langdon adventures?
Those movies starring Tom Hanks with bad hair?)
But isnt this sort of junk better left to a McG or Rob Cohen?
21.EdTV(1999)
Remember when Hollywood movies were absolutelyobsessedwith reality television?
Ron Howard does many things well.
Satire is not one of them.
But it did what Howard wanted it to do: It got him into directing.
(It was Crowe, who brought the story to Howard, whose father was a huge boxing fan.
Film critic Jonathan Rosenbaumonce called Howardan exemplar of honorable mediocrity Cinderella Manis the director at his most honorably mediocre.
At this late date, does any human need to know anything more about this band?
It was such a hit that it ended up with its own ride at Universal Studios.
And we still quote Did you check that door for heat?
from time to time.
Youd be forgiven for calling the filmJump Street: A Star Wars Storyfor how irreverent and dude-friendly it is.
How much of that is Howards doing?
Well, maybe well find out down the line.
Beyond its twists and turns,Ransomsucceeds because of the sheer panic all over Gibsons face.
(We feel his terror at every moment.)
We dont entirely disagree, although Hankss aw-shucks charm is part of what makesSplashso appealing.)
(Did we really need Don Ameche break-dancing?)
Also, this is the only acceptable Steve Guttenberg sex scene.
Its a testament toRushthat, years later, we cant actually remember which racer came out on top.
As much as these men hate each other, deep down theyre scared that they really need one another.
After all, who truly understands you except for your archenemy?
It is a lot harder getting a movie like this to work than Howard makes it look.
It feels sad to watch this today, but still deeply exciting: This is what journalismfeelslike.
