I've somehow known the titular song for ages, it's a legit great song that truly understands the soul of 60s pop music (straightforward songwriting that balances sweetness and melancholy; unique, unpredictable chord progressions; colourful production; harmonies; etc.). Unfortunately the movie it's attached to feels more like an excuse to indulge in 60s nostalgia than a real artistic endeavour. It all feels a bit formulaic and predictable for my taste, this is a light feel-good film that ultimately doesn't leave much of an impression. There's not a whole lot to these characters and it's surprisingly light on laughs. The theme of artistry vs the music industry that's hinted at by the synopsis never really comes to the foreground either. In fact, what you're getting here for the most part isn't too far off from all those musician biopics that followed in the footsteps of _Bohemian Rhapsody_. I constantly kept thinking about how I'd much rather see a film that's focussed on this band struggling to recapture the glory of their hit single. Add to that a director who's clearly still trying to find his footing (some awkward/on the nose edits & janky performances; the main song is repeated way too often) and you have an end result that just isn't all that great. Still, Hanks occasionally displays a sense of style and effortlessly captures the feeling of the time period. It's not enough to stop this from feeling middle of the road and forgettable, but there are some redeeming qualities.

4/10