We were give access to a pre-screening of News of the World in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.
I recently was able to watch a screening of News of the World. I have always been a fan of Tom Hanks and I felt like he was perfect for this role. Overall, I really liked this movie and give it a solid 5/5. It has a solid storyline with action, suspense, drama, and the acting is great. It is already getting great reviews across the board – this is a must-see!
Tom Hanks plays Jefferson Kyle Kidd. He travels from town to town reading the news and gets paid a dime per person who listens. Along the way he comes across a destroyed wagon and a black man hanging from a tree (it doesn’t show much here, but could be disturbing to young viewers or raise some questions. It was an act of racism).
While there he finds a young girl named Johanna (played by Helena Zengel). Her family had all been killed and she was taken 6 years previous. She was raised by the Kiowa people until she was rescued at the age of 10.
Kids found some papers and realize she was being taken back to her family in southern Texas. Since there is no one else to take her, he decides to do it himself.
Their journey is full of trials and problems from men, nature and their own personal histories. As they travel the treacherous road, they grow personally as well as together.
News of the World Trailer
As for kids, I would say that some of the elements may be hard for them to follow but they will get the overall storyline. They may lose interest though. There are a few things that may be alarming, like skinned buffalo laying on the ground, men chasing the girl wanting to “buy” her, gunfights, and the man hanging from the tree. I felt like 12 and older would be a good age limit for this movie. If you aren’t sure, watch it first. But, be sure to watch it. It is fantastic.
This Christmas, Universal Pictures is proud to present Tom Hanks starring in News of the World, a moving story written and directed by Paul Greengrass, reuniting for the first time with his star from their 2013 Best Picture nominee Captain Phillips.
Five years after the end of the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Hanks), a veteran of three wars, now moves from town to town as a non-fiction storyteller, sharing the news of presidents and queens, glorious feuds, devastating catastrophes, and gripping adventures from the far reaches of the globe.
In the plains of Texas, he crosses paths with Johanna (Helena Zengel, System Crasher), a 10-year-old taken in by the Kiowa people six years earlier and raised as one of their own. Johanna, hostile to a world she’s never experienced, is being returned to her biological aunt and uncle against her will.
Kidd agrees to deliver the child where the law says she belongs. As they travel hundreds of miles into the unforgiving wilderness, the two will face tremendous challenges of both human and natural forces as they search for a place that either can call home.
News of the World is directed by Greengrass (the Bourne films, United 93) from his screenplay with Luke Davies (Lion), based on the National Book Award finalist and best-selling novel by Paulette Jiles. The film is produced by Gary Goetzman (Mamma Mia! franchise, Greyhound), Gail Mutrux (The Danish Girl, Donnie Brasco) and Gregory Goodman (22 July, 8 Mile). The executive producers are Steven Shareshian and Tore Schmidt. The film’s music is by eight-time Academy Award® nominee James Newton Howard.
This movie looks good.