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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

Directed by
Tom Hanks
Written by
Tom Hanks
Produced by
mw- Gary Goetzman Jonathan Demme Edward Saxon
Starring
Tom Everett Scott Liv Tyler Johnathon Schaech Steve Zahn Ethan Embry Tom Hanks
Cinematography
Tak Fujimoto
Edited by
Richard Chew
Music by
Howard Shore
Productioncompanies
Clinica Estetico Clavius Base
Distributed by
20th Century Fox
Release date
October 4, 1996 (1996-10-04)
Running time
108 minutes (theatrical cut) 148 minutes (extended cut)
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$26 million
Box office
$34.6 million

Tables

· Reception › Accolades
20/20 Awards
20/20 Awards
Award
20/20 Awards
Category
Best Song
Nominee(s)
"That Thing You Do!" Music and Lyrics by Adam Schlesinger
Result
Nominated
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Category
Best Original Song
Nominee(s)
Nominated
American Comedy Awards
American Comedy Awards
Award
American Comedy Awards
Category
Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Nominee(s)
Tom Hanks
Result
Nominated
Artios Awards
Artios Awards
Award
Artios Awards
Category
Best Casting for Feature Film – Comedy
Nominee(s)
John Lyons
Result
Won
California on Location Awards
California on Location Awards
Award
California on Location Awards
Category
Production Company of the Year – Features
Nominee(s)
Won
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Award
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Category
Best Original Score
Nominee(s)
Howard Shore
Result
Nominated
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Song
Nominee(s)
"That Thing You Do!" Music and Lyrics by Adam Schlesinger
Result
Won
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Original Song
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Online Film & Television Association Awards
Online Film & Television Association Awards
Award
Online Film & Television Association Awards
Category
Best Original Song
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Satellite Awards
Satellite Awards
Award
Satellite Awards
Category
Best Original Song
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Young Artist Awards
Young Artist Awards
Award
Young Artist Awards
Category
Best Family Feature – Musical or Comedy
Nominee(s)
Nominated
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

  1. Box Office Mojo
    https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0117887/
  2. Billboard
    https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/adam-schlesinger-that-thing-you-do-best-fake-song-9348993/
  3. 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
  4. FilmBuffOnline
    http://www.filmbuffonline.com/FBOLNewsreel/wordpress/2007/08/18/that-tune-you-do-writing-the-music-for-that-thing-you-do/
  5. Entertainment Weekly
    http://ew.com/article/2016/10/04/that-thing-you-do-20th-anniversary-wonders/
  6. Amazon.com
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000002BQE
  7. Earthsignals.com
    http://www.earthsignals.com/Collins/0025/
  8. downbeat.com
    https://downbeat.com/news/detail/remembering-alphonse-mouzon
  9. arblackhalloffame.org
    https://arblackhalloffame.org/honorees/2023/leary/
  10. "Exclusive Interview With Barth Beasley"
    https://hoodcriticmagazine.com/2016/01/03/exclusive-interview-with-barth-beasley/
  11. Billboard, 1 Sep 1962, p. 24
  12. "KCRG 1600 Cedar Rapids Survey 09/22/62"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20140203020543/http://las-solanas.com/arsa/surveys_item.php?svid=3789
  13. 45cat
    http://www.45cat.com/record/cp699
  14. Discogs
    https://www.discogs.com/artist/4243601-The-Wonders-7
  15. "The Wonders – Say There"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20140203020540/http://las-solanas.com/arsa/charts_item.php?srt0=t40_tw&lttl=28&hsid=14677&srt1=chartweek
  16. The Los Angeles Times
    https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-10-08-ca-51781-story.html
  17. Rotten Tomatoes
    https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/that_thing_you_do
  18. Metacritic
    https://www.metacritic.com/movie/that-thing-you-do!
  19. Variety
    https://variety.com/review/VE1117905610
  20. Chicago Sun-Times
    https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/that-thing-you-do-1996
  21. "The 69th Academy Awards (1997) Nominees and Winners"
    http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1997
  22. "Nominees/Winners"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20221006173814/https://www.castingsociety.com/awards/artios/1997
  23. Chicago Film Critics Association
    https://chicagofilmcritics.org/awards-blog/archives
  24. Florida Film Critics Circle
    http://www.floridafilmcritics.com/2013/11/16/1996-ffcc-award-winners/
  25. HFPA
    https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/thing-you-do
  26. Online Film & Television Association
    https://web.archive.org/web/20231023033949/http://www.oftaawards.com/film-awards/2nd-annual-film-awards-1996/
  27. Satellite Awards
    https://www.pressacademy.com/award_cat/1997/
  28. YoungArtistAwards.org
    https://web.archive.org/web/20110402060451/http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms18.htm
  29. NoticeAbility.org
    https://www.noticeability.org/
  30. Ballpark Digest
    https://ballparkdigest.com/2021/11/08/2021-promotion-of-the-year-the-wonders-reunite-at-erie-seawolves-game/
  31. MiLB.com
    https://www.milb.com/news/wonders-night-promo-of-the-year
  32. Indiewire.com
    https://www.indiewire.com/2017/10/that-thing-you-do-gay-subplot-twenty-years-later-lgbt-1201883706/
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