'I've been in some movies that I hate': Tom Hanks reflects on the rewards and harsh realities of filmmaking
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks did not like every one of his movies. The 'Forest Gump' actor, 66, recently shared a few observations regarding the lines that all filmmakers must cross and how hard it is to determine whether a film is good or awful during production.
In an interview with The New Yorker, the 'Asteroid City' star talks about the experiences he has gained from his own movies. "Let’s admit this: We have all seen movies we hate. I have been in some movies that I hate. You have seen some of my movies and you hate them."
'Someone is going to say, 'I hated it'
In terms of how people generally react to movies, the Oscar-winning actor explained, "Someone is going to say, 'I hated it.' Other people can say, 'I think it’s brilliant.' Somewhere in between the two is what the movie actually is," which as per the star is the third and critical of the five Rubicons "crossed by anyone who makes movies."
"The first Rubicon you cross is saying yes to the film. Your fate is sealed. You are going to be in that movie. The second Rubicon is when you actually see the movie that you made. It either works and the movie you wanted to make, or it does not work and it’s not the movie you wanted to make," said Hanks. The star further acknowledges that it is impossible to determine the quality of a movie while it is still in the filmmaking process due to its slow and meticulous nature.
'You have to trust the entire process to collaborators'
He emphasized the importance of trusting the entire process and relying on collaborators, who are expected to perform exceptionally well in their respective roles. In the words of Hanks, "You have to trust the entire process to collaborators who you hope are working at the absolute top of their game farther down the line. You can only have faith and hope — and what’s bigger than faith and hope?"
The 'Road to Perdition' star also reveals that the "fourth Rubicon is the commercial performance of the film. Because, if it does not make money, your career will be toast sooner than you want it to be. That’s just the fact." The fifth and final Rubicon is time, "More often than not, it’s time that ends up being the most important Rubicon." Hanks gave examples of movies that weren't well received when they first came out but eventually became classics, like 'It's a Wonderful Life' which gained popularity and adoration decades after its 1946 debut, and his own 1996 picture 'That Thing You Do!'.