Film icon and seemingly all-round good egg, Tom Hanks, has been wowing audiences since he entered the movie industry way back in 1980. The US actor and filmmaker, known for his all-American charm and personable demeanour, has taken on countless lead roles, has worked with some of the biggest directors in Hollywood, and has won an endless legion of fans.
From Captain Miller in Saving Private Ryan to Woody in the Toy Story movies, Hanks has proven that no part is too big or too small. In fact, as seen in the movie, Big, size is just all part of the journey.
Keen to indulge in a spot of Hanks, today I am taking a look back at the actor’s career with a collection of his greatest movies. The films set out below are the crème de la crème of the Hanks portfolio and are movies you really should check out if you want to see his finest work.
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Big (1988)
First up on the list is the superb fantasy drama-comedy, Big. The movie – directed by Penny Marshall – tells the story of pre-adolescent boy, Josh Baskin, and his sudden physical transformation into an adult.
In the movie, twelve-year-old Josh makes a wish on an antique fortune-teller machine, asking to be ‘big’. The next day, he wakes up to find his wish has come true and he’s now a fully grown person who everyone treats like the adult he appears to be.
Hanks takes on the role of adult Josh in Big, delivering a note-perfect performance. The film is also backed up by some great supporting roles for Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia, and Jared Rushton.
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Elvis (2022)
Up next is director Baz Luhrmann’s epic bio-pic, Elvis. The movie, starring Austin Butler, features Hanks in a strong supporting role playing the part of Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
Featuring lavish visuals, including excellent cinematography, as well as a brilliant turn from Butler in the title role, Elvis is a must-see picture. However, it’s Hanks who really steals the show, including every scene he is in.
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Philadelphia (1993)
Grab the tissues for this next picture, the 1993 legal drama, Philadephia. Directed by Jonathan Demme, and starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington, Philadelphia tells the story of an attorney who attempts to sue his former employers for wrongful dismissal.
In the film, Hanks takes on the role of Andrew Beckett – a senior associate who develops AIDS. Shortly after signs of his illness begin to appear, he is fired from his job under suspicious circumstances.
Believing he was dismissed due to his condition, Beckett hires personal injury lawyer, Joe Miller to take on the case. Together they attempt to fight back, with the court case playing out as Beckett’s condition worsens.
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Cast Away (2000)
In Robert Zemeckis’ survival drama, Cast Away, Tom Hanks plays the role of FedEx employee, Chuck Noland – a systems analyst who travels the world for his company. During the course of the movie, Noland is enroute to Malaysia when his plane is struck down and he is lost on an uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean.
As the only survivor, Noland has to find a way to keep going long enough to be rescued. But as time rolls on, Noland finds himself experiencing a living nightmare with no end in sight and hope dwindling.
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The Money Pit (1986)
Directed by Richard Benjamin, and loosely based on the 1948 comedy, Mr. Blandings Build His Dream House, The Money Pit is a likable comedy starring Tom Hanks and Shelley Long. The film tells the story of a young couple who attempt to renovate their new home, only to realise the renovation costs are quickly mounting up.
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The Terminal (2004)
Up next is the Steven Spielberg-directed comedy-drama, The Terminal. In this movie, Hanks takes on the role of an Eastern European man who finds himself unexpectedly stuck at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
In the film, Viktor Navorski travels from his home country of Krakozhia to New York. But when a coup d’état takes place back home, Viktor is unable to enter the US or return home, leaving him trapped in ‘no-mans land’, which is essentially the airport.
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Dragnet (1987)
Based on the radio and television drama of the same name, Dragnet is a buddy cop comedy about two police officers who attempt to expose a cult operating in LA. The film stars Hanks alongside Dan Aykroyd, and is an enjoyable romp which plays as both a homage and a parody to the original series.
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Turner & Hooch (1989)
Another buddy cop movie for this next film, but this time Hanks is teamed up with a canine. In Turner & Hooch, Hanks takes on the role of police investigator Scott Turner, who finds himself looking after a dog when the animal becomes the chief witness in a murder investigation.
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The ‘Burbs (1989)
In director Joe Dante’s The ‘Burbs, Hanks plays the role of suburban homeowner, Ray Peterson – an ordinary man who starts to believe there is something sinister about his new neighbours, the Klopeks. But are the Klopeks really bad people, or is this all a huge misunderstanding?
Featuring a cast which includes Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, and Corey Feldman, The ‘Burbs is an ’80s gem with Hanks at the centre. The film never fails to raise a smile, with Hanks playing an average Joe who may have found himself a little out of his depth.
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Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Steven Spielberg directs Hanks in this next picture – the epic war drama, Saving Private Ryan. The movie follows the story of a group of soldiers who embark on a rescue mission to locate a Private who is missing in action.
Hailed as one of the greatest movies of all-time, Saving Private Ryan was a big hit upon release, both critically and commercially. The movie went on to win numerous accolades, including five Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and Best Sound Effects Editing.
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A League of their Own (1992)
For this next film, Hanks takes a supporting role in the poignant sports comedy-drama, A League of their Own. The film – directed by Penny Marshall – tells the story of a real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League team, with Hanks as their manager, Jimmy Dugan.
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Toy Story (1995)
Easily one of the best-loved animated movies of all-time, Toy Story tells the tale of a group of children’s toys who come to life when no one is looking. In the film, the toys are led by Woody (the cowboy), who lives a happy existence as the chief of the gang and the most popular toy of his owner – a small boy named Andy.
But when new space adventurer, Buzz Lightyear arrives on the scene, Andy soon ditches Woody in favour of spending time with Buzz. This makes Woody jealous, and inadvertently puts Buzz’s life in danger.
Tom Hanks provides voice-over duties for Woody, alongside a voice cast which includes Tim Allen, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, and Jim Varney. Upon release the movie was a huge hit, leading to a series of sequels and spin-off shorts.
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The Post (2017)
Another Steven Spielberg directed movie, with Hanks as one of the main stars. Here he plays opposite Meryl Streep for the political thriller, The Post.
Set in 1971, the movie is based on a true story and tells of the real-life attempts by journalists to publish the infamous classified documents known as the Pentagon Papers. The documents reveal details about the US Government’s involvement in the Vietnam War as well as the country’s involvement in French Indochina during the 1940s.
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Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Sticking with Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks collaborations for this next picture, which sees Hanks take on the role of Carl Hanratty, an FBI agent tasked with locating hugely successful con artist, Frank Abagnale Jr. In Catch Me If You Can, Abagnale Jr. (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) pulls off various cons totalling millions of dollars, with Hanratty continually in hot pursuit.
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Apollo 13 (1995)
Ron Howard directs Hanks in this next movie – the space drama, Apollo 13. Based on the book, Lost Moon, the film provides a dramatization of the real-life 1970 lunar mission which had to be abandoned when things went wrong.
In the film, Hanks takes on the role of Commander Jim Lovell – the leader of Apollo 13. Enroute to the moon, along with fellow astronauts Jack Swigert and Fred Haise, the space craft experiences problems causing the mission to be scrapped as NASA improvises a way to bring the team home safely.
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Splash (1984)
Onto a beloved ’80s classic now – the romantic fantasy comedy, Splash. The movie – starring Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah – follows the story of a young man who falls in love with a woman, who is secretly a mermaid.
The ultimate ‘fish out of water’ story, Splash was well-received by critics and audiences alike when it was released and became a box-office hit. Ron Howard directs.
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Forrest Gump (1994)
Arguably one of Tom Hanks’ most famous pictures, Forrest Gump is a comedy-drama about a seemingly ordinary man and his extraordinary life. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, and based on Winston Groom’s book of the same name, Forrest Gump follows the titular character as he recounts his experiences throughout the 1960s and 1970s and into the early ’80s.
Released to a hugely positive reception, and becoming a sizeable hit at the box-office, Forrest Gump went on to win multiple awards, including the Academy Award for Best Picture. Similar to Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump is often regarded as one of the greatest movies of all-time, and certainly one of Hanks’ biggest hits.
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Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
In Saving Mr. Banks, Tom Hanks plays the role of Walt Disney, opposite Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers – the author behind Mary Poppins. The movie depicts Disney’s attempts to win over Travers, who is reluctant to let him turn Poppins into a new film star.
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Sully (2016)
Based on Chesley Sullenberger’s autobiography Highest Duty, and directed by Clint Eastwood, Sully is a biographical drama about a real-life emergency which befell US Airways Flight 1549. In 2009, the aircraft experienced engine damage while in flight, forcing Captain Sullenberger to land the plane in the Hudson River, saving 155 passengers and crew in the process.
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A Man Called Otto (2022)
In the penultimate film for this list, Tom Hanks takes on the role of 63-year-old widower, Otto Anderson – a curmudgeonly man who plans to kill himself. However, after his suicide attempt is thwarted, he goes on an unexpected journey, which begins to tether him more to the mortal realm.
Based on Fredrik Backman’s novel, A Man Called Ove, which was in turn adapted into a 2015 Swedish movie of the same name, this heartfelt comedy-drama is one of Hanks’ lesser-known pictures, but it is more than worth a watch. The film is packed with plenty of heart, and features a sublime turn from Hanks as the grumpy Otto.
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The Green Mile (1999)
And finally, another one of Tom Hanks’ stone-cold classics, the fantasy drama, The Green Mile. Written and directed by Frank Darabont, and based on the book of the same name by Stephen King, The Green Mile tells the story of a death row prison guard who witnesses strange events connected to one of the prisoners.
Hanks takes on the role of prison guard, Paul Edgecomb, opposite a cast which includes David Morse, James Cromwell, Doug Hutchinson, Sam Rockwell, and the late Michael Clarke Duncan. If for any reason you have let The Green Mile pass you by, please make sure you rectify this faux-pas immediately.
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Recap
So, those are the twenty-one best Tom Hanks movies. Now, to save you from having to scroll back up, here are the titles of all the movies in one handy list!
- Big (1988)
- Elvis (2022)
- Philadelphia (1993)
- Cast Away (2000)
- The Money Pit (1986)
- The Terminal (2004)
- Dragnet (1987)
- Turner & Hooch (1989)
- The ‘Burbs (1989)
- Saving Private Ryan (1998)
- A League of their Own (1992)
- Toy Story (1995)
- The Post (2017)
- Catch Me If You Can (2002)
- Apollo 13 (1995)
- Splash (1984)
- Forrest Gump (1994)
- Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
- Sully (2016)
- A Man Called Otto (2022)
- The Green Mile (1999)
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Thank you for taking the time to read this post about Tom Hanks movies on It’s A Stampede! – I hope it has proved useful. For more useful posts, be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
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