You never have any doubt where Larry Crowne is going as a movie, but it’s the entertaining journey getting there that makes it worthwhile.

Tom Hanks stars, directs and co-wrote (with Nia Vardalos from My Big Fat Greek Wedding) the film. His real life wife (Rita Wilson) shows up as his not too helpful bank loans officer and that’s his son Chet delivering pizza.

Hanks plays a character who loses his job at U-Mart because he doesn’t have a college education. He can’t find another job, he’s losing his house and so he goes to college and finds it a life-changing experience.

He takes a public speaking class where Julia Roberts plays the disaffected teacher. She’s also in the midst of breaking up with her porn-surfing husband and drinks a lot to get through the week. Hanks also takes an economics class where George Takei (yes, from Star Trek) is very amusing as the instructor.

To economize Hanks now rides a scooter and, rather unbelievably, falls in with a very wholesome scooter gang on campus, whose members give him a new wardrobe and hairstyle.

There’s a nice supporting cast but superstars Hanks and Roberts are the main reasons for anyone to come see the film. Apparently good friends in real life they are pleasant to watch together, although not always credible.

This is light entertainment, well done, a little bland and way too predictable, but a better place to spend time if you can’t stand another Transformers movie.

Rating: four deer out of five

Next Week on Video

Rango is mostly fun and The Lincoln Lawyer is entertaining.

Alf Cryderman is a Red Deer freelance writer and old movie buff.