Skip to main content

Dome Pondering Movie Review: Larry Crowne (2011)

What is it about? 

A man who recently lost his job reinvents himself by enrolling and attending college. 

Who is in it? 

Tom Hanks - Larry Crowne

Julia Roberts - Mercedes Tainot

Cedric The Entertainer - Lamar

Favorite Scene: 

After picking up his college professor, who was intoxicated and shoeless at the bus stop, Crowne gives her a life changing ride home.

Favorite Quote: 

"I told you how to avoid divorce lawyers. You get married, and stay married."

Review: 

Larry Crowne is a film that could have offered so much more. With a great plot line that is currently relative, Academy award talent filling the lead roles, and a large budget ($30M), Larry Crowne should have been much more than the development-less film that it was. The film had a plot that was simple, characters that had awful depth, and an overall feeling of shallowness when the credits began to roll in the end. 

Tom Hanks did his best in this role as Larry Crowne, however, as was the case with the entire movie, there just wasn't enough creatively for Hanks to really bring the character of Larry Crowne alive. As for Julia Roberts, the character of Mercedes Tainot never really got out of second gear. Once again, greatly disappointing.

Larry Crowne is a huge letdown that has the feeling of a film that was made for a rainy Saturday afternoon on TBS. 

Recommended if well...if it's raining on a Saturday afternoon.

Grade: 2/5
Labels:

Recently Read

Would You Rather: Questions 121-130

This edition of "Would You Rather" is credited to the NBA Would You Rather NBA Account on Instagram ( See Here ). Adding to the fun, this edition (and possibly future ones) are all NBA basketball questions.  121. Who would you rather have on your favorite NBA team - Giannis Antetokounpo or James Harden?  Seeing how I'm a lifelong suffering Knicks fan, the thought of any of these guys in blue and orange is hard to believe. With that said, I'm taking the Greek Freak for this reason - I enjoy watching him play a bit more. Nothing against Harden who is amazing as well, but at times, the ball sticks and that isn't always fun. Plus, I feel like we haven't yet seen a finished Giannis. 122. Would you rather have Giannis Antetokounpo with no driving ability or James Harden with no Three-Point shooting ability?  This is definitely a weird and unique one, but I'll take Harden. Giannis without his strength doesn't offer much. However, if Harden's d...
Read more

Yankees Postseason 2026, ALDS vs. Rays

This is easily the most anticipated series (and most expected?) for the New York Yankees. The two best teams during the regular season were expected to clash to determine American League prominence.  And yes, I agree that this upcoming series says a lot about the broken playoff structure in MLB. Allow me to step onto my soapbox for a mere moment... Up we go... I've never been a fan of the expansion to six teams per league. I understand that it keeps more markets in the playoff picture come September, and it is more revenue for all (likely, the biggest reason for the expansion). Still, all it did was create a scenario where division winners were at a disadvantage, and what we're getting here is the two best teams in the league facing off in a five-game series.  Ultimately, the Tampa Bay Rays, the top seed in the American League, are given the second-best record in their first-round, in a best-of-five?  None of this makes sense.  Stepping off now... Nonetheless, fellow...
Read more

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 9/13/26

The Sunday Sundown Rundown (formerly in the format of "3 Up and 3 Down") is where I share thoughts on three topics that piqued my interest, along with my favorite photo from the week. 25th Anniversary of 9/11 It is sort of hard to imagine that it has been twenty-five years since that awful day. It's been fifteen years since I've shared my experience as a High Schooler in Brooklyn, NY , and everything that came with that day (and the many to follow afterwards).  The world changed, and to this day, it still feels hard to grasp what happened (and what transpired with the health of so many afterwards). The lives lost, and the damage done. My son learned about 9/11, and his questions around it ignite some of that struggle with thought around it.  Daddy, how did they get the planes?  Did the building just, like, fall over?  On this 25th anniversary, it is even more concerning to see how the day is also politicized and sometimes weaponized in culture wars. I remember Americ...
Read more