“News of the World” is directed by Paul Greengrass and stars Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel. Taking place in the American South soon after the Civil War, this film is about traveling newsreader Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd after he finds a young girl, Johanna, without a home.

Tom Hanks is easily the best part of this movie. Hanks is very likable in any role he plays, and this movie is no exception. I enjoyed seeing Captain Kidd and Johanna bond. I also thought the cinematography made this movie much more interesting than it would have been otherwise. Many shots of the Texas countryside were breathtaking.

This movie would have been so much better with a better script. This movie is filled with conveniences, cliches, and cheese. This movie played it so safe. This time period in American history is very ugly, but this movie delivers it in a clean, easily digestible way. This movie would have hit me much harder if stuff like the racism and poverty were delivered in a more visceral way. This movie was also super predictable. At every point of the movie I could guess where the story was going to go.

While I like what the movie was going for, I also thought some of the themes were delivered awkwardly. Throughout the film, Captain Kidd reads the news to different Texas towns. While I appreciate the message the movie was trying to make with these scenes, the delivery from the crowds listening to the news was so over the top it was impossible to take seriously.

Despite the mediocre script, this was a competently made movie. The enjoyment I got from Tom Hanks character, the settings, and the visuals made me like this movie more than I disliked it. If you want a fun movie you don’t want to think too much about, this isn’t a terrible choice. Just wait until it’s cheaper than 20 bucks.

Rating: 3/5