That Thing You Do!
Updated: 12/11/2025, 8:19:37 AM Wikipedia source
That Thing You Do! is a 1996 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Tom Hanks, in his feature writing and directorial debut. Set in 1960s rock and roll culture, it chronicles the rise and fall of a fictional one-hit wonder pop band and stars Tom Everett Scott in his film debut along with Johnathon Schaech, Steve Zahn, and Ethan Embry as the band's members, with Liv Tyler and Hanks appearing in supporting roles. Its production and music are key to its narrative, with original scores by a collaboration of artists including Hanks, Adam Schlesinger, and Howard Shore. The soundtrack peaked at #21 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, featuring a mix of diegetic and non-diegetic tracks. The cast practiced for weeks to perform convincingly on camera, blurring the lines between reality and fiction. Despite being well received by critics, receiving several accolades, and producing a musical hit with the title song, which was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, the film was a commercial disappointment, grossing $34.6 million against a $26 million budget. That Thing You Do! is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America.
Infobox
Tables
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
| 20/20 Awards | Best Song | "That Thing You Do!" Music and Lyrics by Adam Schlesinger | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | Best Original Song | Nominated | |
| American Comedy Awards | Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture | Tom Hanks | Nominated |
| Artios Awards | Best Casting for Feature Film – Comedy | John Lyons | Won |
| California on Location Awards | Production Company of the Year – Features | Won | |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Original Score | Howard Shore | Nominated |
| Florida Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Song | "That Thing You Do!" Music and Lyrics by Adam Schlesinger | Won |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Original Song | Nominated | |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Original Song | Nominated | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Original Song | Nominated | |
| Young Artist Awards | Best Family Feature – Musical or Comedy | Nominated | |
References
- Box Office Mojohttps://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0117887/
- Billboardhttps://www.billboard.com/music/rock/adam-schlesinger-that-thing-you-do-best-fake-song-9348993/
- That Thing You Do at Film|Ratings. Retrieved March 5, 2025.https://www.filmratings.com/Search?filmTitle=That+thing+you+do&x=9&y=16
- FilmBuffOnlinehttp://www.filmbuffonline.com/FBOLNewsreel/wordpress/2007/08/18/that-tune-you-do-writing-the-music-for-that-thing-you-do/
- Entertainment Weeklyhttp://ew.com/article/2016/10/04/that-thing-you-do-20th-anniversary-wonders/
- Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B000002BQE
- Earthsignals.comhttp://www.earthsignals.com/Collins/0025/
- downbeat.comhttps://downbeat.com/news/detail/remembering-alphonse-mouzon
- arblackhalloffame.orghttps://arblackhalloffame.org/honorees/2023/leary/
- "Exclusive Interview With Barth Beasley"https://hoodcriticmagazine.com/2016/01/03/exclusive-interview-with-barth-beasley/
- Billboard, 1 Sep 1962, p. 24
- "KCRG 1600 Cedar Rapids Survey 09/22/62"https://web.archive.org/web/20140203020543/http://las-solanas.com/arsa/surveys_item.php?svid=3789
- 45cathttp://www.45cat.com/record/cp699
- Discogshttps://www.discogs.com/artist/4243601-The-Wonders-7
- "The Wonders – Say There"https://web.archive.org/web/20140203020540/http://las-solanas.com/arsa/charts_item.php?srt0=t40_tw<tl=28&hsid=14677&srt1=chartweek
- The Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-10-08-ca-51781-story.html
- Rotten Tomatoeshttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/that_thing_you_do
- Metacritichttps://www.metacritic.com/movie/that-thing-you-do!
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/review/VE1117905610
- Chicago Sun-Timeshttps://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/that-thing-you-do-1996
- "The 69th Academy Awards (1997) Nominees and Winners"http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1997
- "Nominees/Winners"https://web.archive.org/web/20221006173814/https://www.castingsociety.com/awards/artios/1997
- Chicago Film Critics Associationhttps://chicagofilmcritics.org/awards-blog/archives
- Florida Film Critics Circlehttp://www.floridafilmcritics.com/2013/11/16/1996-ffcc-award-winners/
- HFPAhttps://www.goldenglobes.com/film/thing-you-do
- Online Film & Television Associationhttps://web.archive.org/web/20231023033949/http://www.oftaawards.com/film-awards/2nd-annual-film-awards-1996/
- Satellite Awardshttps://www.pressacademy.com/award_cat/1997/
- YoungArtistAwards.orghttps://web.archive.org/web/20110402060451/http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms18.htm
- NoticeAbility.orghttps://www.noticeability.org/
- Ballpark Digesthttps://ballparkdigest.com/2021/11/08/2021-promotion-of-the-year-the-wonders-reunite-at-erie-seawolves-game/
- MiLB.comhttps://www.milb.com/news/wonders-night-promo-of-the-year
- Indiewire.comhttps://www.indiewire.com/2017/10/that-thing-you-do-gay-subplot-twenty-years-later-lgbt-1201883706/