Tom Hanks directs and stars in this lacklustre romantic comedy he's co-written with Nia Vardalos, the writer and star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Designed as a feel-good film to provide light relief in challenging financial times Larry Crowne is mildly amusing, but never quite gets out of first gear or realises the talent of its A-list cast.
Hanks is positively chipper as Crowne, a retail store team leader and seven-time recipient of the Employee of the Month award. Naturally, he's bewildered when he loses his job due to the company downsizing.
The reason he's given for his dismissal is he hasn't got a degree, so Larry, keen for a fresh start, heads off to the local community college.
This is where things start to get a little implausible. At college he's befriended by hip Vespa-driving Talia (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a fellow student who takes him under her wing, gives him a makeover, and with a little feng shui turns his house into something resembling mid-century cool.
