When Jon Favreau was talking about the coming "bloodbath" in the summer of 2011, it's doubtful he thought of Larry Crowne. After all, how could fading box office titans like Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts compete with a vast array of superheroes, wizards, killer robots and Mike Tyson? But that doesn't mean Larry Crowne isn't at the top of my must-see list, especially with Hanks -- directing for the first time since That Thing You Do! -- playing what appears to be a nicer version of Jeff Winger, wooing a dissatisfied college professor (Roberts) on his way toward self-enlightenment. Plus, there are apparently scooters involved. Click ahead to see Hanks and Roberts together for the first time since Charlie Wilson's War.
Here's the plot synopsis, via Collider.
When appealing everyman LARRY CROWNE (Tom Hanks) is inexplicably fired from his job as a big box store clerk, he realizes it's time for some meaningful change in his life. Deeply in debt and without direction, he returns to college where he befriends a group of scooter-riding students and eventually develops a real affection for his beautiful speech class instructor, MERCEDES TAINOT (Julia Roberts).
Charming and smart, Larry Crowne reminds us of life's small surprises. Sometimes clouds really do have a silver lining. It's also about the power of new beginnings like the time Larry Crowne, an ordinary man with a gentle heart, was forced to downsize his world...and ended up expanding his life.
Larry Crowne hits theaters on July 1, 2011, which keen-eyed observers will note is the same day that Transformers: Dark of the Moon opens. Alas...
ยท First Image and Synopsis for Tom Hanks' 'Larry Crowne' [Collider]