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'That Thing You Do!' Turns 20 Today: Just Try Not to Smile at This Scene

Hey, remember that time when Tom Hanks directed a movie? No, not the 2011 flop Larry Crowne — his other movie, the 1996 comedy That Thing You Do! That film, about a fictional band that rises to one-hit wonder status in 1964, turns 20 today. And while it didn’t do huge box office, the feel-good musical film has maintained a devoted fan base, thanks to an irresistible story by Hanks, a terrific young cast (including then-up-and-comers Liv Tyler, Steve Zahn, and Charlize Theron), and of course, that catchy title tune written by Fountains of Wayne songwriter Adam Schlesinger, who now works on The CW’s musical comedy series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

In the classic scene above, members of the band The Wonders, who just recorded their first single after winning a local talent show, absolutely freak out after hearing the song on the radio for the first time. It’s a perfect movie moment that evokes even more nostalgia than it did in 1996 — because who owns a radio anymore, let alone a music device that needs to be plugged into the wall?