When I heard "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" was going off the air I knew I had to make sure to watch the last week of new shows. There was no acknowledgement within the show that it was ending, the last 5 shows were just 5 more shows. But still, there I was, every day glued to the screen, watching Mr. Rogers. I mention it because it seemed like unusual behavior for a college student.
I remember many years prior to that, being home sick from school in 6th grade and following the same "sick day" routine I had always followed: "Sesame Street", "Mr. Rogers", "Price is Right", "Shining Time Station" (for the aesthetic, I never really got the show). But this time (and afterward) there was a kind of crisis of identity: as a 6th grader, I'm clearly too old to be watching Mr. Rogers - waaayyy too old - but I knew that if I was being honest with myself that really was what I wanted to watch. Do I respect the shame, another instance where it's time to grow up? But who am I kidding if I watch a TV show I don't want to watch when no one else is around?
The guilt of my middle school viewing was turned into the shameless college appreciation by an event in between. I was at the doctor's office with my mom, in my late teens and I was waiting in the waiting room. With nothing but magazines for entertainment, I grabbed one and read an article about Fred Rogers. I don't remember much about the article, it was too long ago, but it made a huge impact on me. It described Mr. Rogers walking through the streets of New York City and how he would be mobbed by crowds of people wanting to talk to him. But rather than just the usual celebrity worship, people wanted to tell him how much he meant to them, often weeping. One person might've had a parent who died when they were young and they saw Mr. Rogers as a surrogate dad. Or another was abused and hearing an adult tell them they were special every day completely altered the course of their life.
And all of these stories, all of these tears, coming out of a hard city, plus Mr. Rogers' attitude of talking to each one as if they were the only person in the world, it suddenly dawned on me that Fred Rogers was very much a modern Christlike figure. I do not use that phrase lightly. Where in this world do you see so much import and thankfulness centered on one man? And where is the object of that adulation so humble and willing to serve others? It is not coincidence, I think, that Fred was an ordained Presbyterian minister who saw his mission as ministering to children.
In the grand scheme of things, my childhood was pretty good and I have nothing to complain about. I could have seen "Mr. Rogers" as just another kids show that I was too old for, plus laughed at all the parodies at how silly it all was. But what isn't broadcast around the world is the millions of children who watched him over the years and the incalculable spider web effect that has on the rest of their lives and the lives they touched that there was at least one adult who was empathetic.
"A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" is not a biopic, it's a drama and Fred Rogers isn't even the main character. But it's extremely well done and hits the right notes exactly as it should. Biopics have become a tired formula anyway. The movie, "inspired by true events," follows the life of a writer as he attempts to write an article on Mr. Rogers. Is this the same article that I read? I'd like to think so but I'm not sure. It goes without saying that Tom Hanks is perfect casting and plays him as well as anyone could. This is the most emotional a movie has made me in a long time though it's tough to recommend, in some sense. If you view Mr. Rogers as a hokey weirdo, your view of this movie will probably be similar. If you're a big fan like me, the other extreme is true. In short, I think one's enjoyment of the film will probably match the reactions to Fred Rogers, himself. That's fine. What's a one-size-fits-all review in a world where every single one of us is special?
