Larry Crowne

Way back in 1996, Tom Hanks had his writing/directorial debut with a little film called That Thing You Do starring Liv Tyler and Tom Everett Scott. I frikken loved it. If you haven't seen it yet, seek it out.
One can forgive Hanks for taking fifteen years to get back in the big seat, he is a very busy man. Larry Crowne was written by Hanks along with Nia Vardalos of My Big Fat Greek Wedding fame.
Frequent Employee of the Month at Umart and all-round up-beat dude, Larry Crowne (Hanks) is about to be downsized. He finds out he has always been looked over when it comes to promotion time because he doesn't have a tertiary education. Determined to fix this, Crowne enrols at community college where he enrols in a communications course and an economics course.
Mercedes 'Mercy' Tainot (not tai-bo) (Julia Roberts - Charlie Wilson's War) is not a happy teacher and is even more cranky when she has to teach the communications class at eight in the morning. Her home life is pretty crap too. Hubby Dean (Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad) is addicted to porn, Mercy ain't too happy about that.
Forced to trade in his SUV for a scooter, Crowne becomes part of the campus' scooter gang and is transformed from Larry Crowne, polo-shirt tucker-in-er-er to Lance Corona, 'dude' by spunky Talia (Gugu Mbatha-Raw -  Undercovers) who like changing people's names and op shopping.
As Larry/Lance progresses through the term, he gets to know Mercy a bit better. After a drunken night with her hubby, some cheesecake and a police officer, Mercy meets up with Larry for some extra curricular activities. I so did not just write that.
This is a fluffy flick, that's for sure, with pros and cons. It was entertaining and funny at times but I thought Mercy's character was layered a little too thick in the beginning. Her relationship troubles with Dean don't seem that big yet they are blown way out of proportion. There were times when I had no idea where the film was going, but it did manage to get there in the end.
Hanks has created some good characters in this flick including his neighbour and year-round-yard-salesman Lamar (Cedric the Entertainer - Cadillac Records); Talia's boyfriend, Dell Gordo (Wilmer Valderrama - That 70's Show); and Economics lecturer and hater of mobile phones, Dr Matsutani (George Takei - Star Trek OST).
Things I learnt: aviator glasses are not for everyone; there is an art to making good French toast; George Takei rocks.
A nice way to spend an afternoon.
Six out of ten.