That Thing You Do! is a 1996 American comedy film written, starring and directed by Tom Hanks, in his feature writing and directorial debut. It tells the story of the rise and fall of a fictional 1960s one-hit wonder pop band, and stars Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, Johnathon Schaech, Steve Zahn, Ethan Embry, and Charlize Theron. The film resulted in a musical hit with the titular song of the same name, which was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.
Plot
In 1964, Guy Patterson, an aspiring jazz drummer, is working in his family's appliance store in Erie, Pennsylvania, when he is asked by Jimmy and Lenny to perform at a talent show with their band the Oneders to cover for Chad, their regular drummer who broke an arm. At the talent show, Guy launches into a faster tempo for the song, "That Thing You Do!". Jimmy is angered, but Guy's tempo wins them the talent show.
They win a paying gig at Villapiano's, a local pizza parlor. When a fan asks for a record, they decide to record the song and sell 45s of it. Local talent promoter Phil Horace notices the band, promising to get them on the radio within 10 days. Lenny convinces the band to sign with him.
Phil gets the song on Pennsylvania radio, and books them at a rock & roll showcase concert in Pittsburgh. Because of technical difficulties they are booed off the stage. Afterwards, Phil brings a dispirited Guy to meet with Mr. White, an A&R representative for Play-Tone Records, who offers the band a contract and becomes their manager. He re-spells the band's name as "The Wonders," offers them advice on style and presentation (including insisting that the group all wear matching suits and Guy always wear sunglasses), asks them to join the Play-Tone tour of Midwestern state fairs, and suggests Jimmy's girlfriend Faye join the tour maintaining their wardrobe.
During the tour, the Wonders meet other acts, learn about the business, and become better performers. Jimmy spends time with a singer, Diane, while the bassist, TB, falls for a member of a girl group, the Chantrellines. "That Thing You Do" garners national radio airplay and the band's popularity soars. Jimmy is itching to return to the studio.
When "That Thing You Do" reaches number 7 on the Billboard charts, Mr. White sends them to Los Angeles to do publicity, including radio and film appearances. On the day of their appearance on The Hollywood Television Showcase, a nationally televised live variety show, TB, the bassist, is nowhere to be found, so Mr. White replaces him with an older, experienced session bassist known as "Wolfman". Guy is hungover after meeting his idol, jazz pianist Del Paxton; Jimmy is vomiting due to nerves; Lenny is preoccupied with his new girlfriend. Still, the Wonders manage to cooperate for their television appearance. When television captions introduce the members of the band, Jimmy's caption reads "Careful, girls, he's engaged!"
After the performance, Jimmy lashes out at Faye in the dressing room, insinuating that she was responsible for the "engaged" caption (although White implies that it was him). Jimmy insists he and Faye are not engaged and that he has no intention of proposing. Faye, already disillusioned with Jimmy, breaks up with him. The next day, at a scheduled recording session at Play-Tone's studio, bassist TB already joined the marines that August, while Lenny is out in Las Vegas. Mr. White has provided new material for Jimmy and Guy to record, but Jimmy wants to do his original songs. When Mr. White reminds him that the terms of their contract allow Play-Tone to dictate their material, Jimmy quits on the spot. Guy is now the only remaining Wonder. Mr. White assures him that such things are common in the music industry. Guy stays in the recording studio for a while; Del stops by the studio and is impressed with Guy's drumming. Together they improvise a jazz song inspired by Guy called "I Am Spartacus".
Guy returns to the hotel to check out. He tells a dejected Faye that he plans to stay in L.A., while she says she will return to Erie. Faye goes to call a cab, but Guy chases after her and they kiss, finally admitting their long-hidden feelings for one another.
An epilogue reveals that Jimmy became a record producer; Lenny is single, a hotel and casino manager in Nevada; bassist TB went to war in Vietnam and earned a Purple Heart, then worked in construction in Orlando, Florida; Guy and Faye are married with four children living in Bainbridge Island, Washington, where Guy teaches jazz composition at their own music conservatory.