He steps out from behind the camera around a third of the way through the film as a slick and savvy industry manager, who guides the newly minted Wonders through rapidly escalating popularity as That Thing You Do! storms the charts, their fame crystallising with their first TV appearance. Hanks directs with a gentle, unforced touch, aided by his likeable cast. And in That Thing You Do! it’s the nice guy who’s celebrated. But in this universe, the drummer is the star – the backbone, the timekeeper. Jimmy, the talented, arrogant, self-appointed decision maker with the perfect Beatles quiff, is noticeably annoyed that he wasn’t consulted, marking the first of many clashes at the expense of his ego. Tom Everett Scott and Tom Hanks in That Thing You Do! Photograph: Everett Collection Inc/Alamy On the day of the talent show, however, Guy decides to set a much quicker tempo for the song, forcing the rest of the band to adapt their playing to match and the dance floor swells in response.
Joining lead singer Jimmy (Johnathon Schaech), lead guitarist Lenny (played with wry, comedic wit by the scene-stealing Steve Zahn) and bass player (the delightful Ethan Embry, whose character is never given a name, in a cheeky nod to that one seemingly anonymous member of every band) for a quick rehearsal in a garage, Guy is introduced to the title track as an easy-listening ballad. The Oneders (pronounced the Wonders, but comically mispronounced as the O-Need-ers for the first half of the film) are in desperate need of a new drummer for a talent show performance after their usual fourth, Chad (Giovanni Ribisi), breaks his arm in a foolish mishap. The smart and sensitive Guy (a Tom Hanks doppelganger played by Tom Everett Scott) is about to be dumped by his almost-girlfriend, Tina (Charlize Theron, in one of her first Hollywood roles) when he is approached with the opportunity to join a band.
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