History Film / ThatThingYouDo

** Marguerite says the exact line after stating she got married in Portland.
** Lenny has had several marriages while living in Las Vegas in the postscript.

* FamilyBusiness: Guy's family owns the appliance store where much of the first half of the film takes place in.

%%** The Bass Player probably would have been OK with the Corps-Vets

* SuddenlyShouting: This exchange between Jimmy and Mr. White:

** Achieves BrickJoke status when at their biggest performance before a television audience, they're the star act... and ''still'' mechanically unplug their instruments and quickly leave the stage.

* OneTakeWonder: InUniverse. After the band records "That Thing You Do", Jimmy tries to convince Uncle Bob to record "All My Only Dreams" for the B-side. Uncle Bob tells him that he has to go record a children's choir in Buffalo. Jimmy begs him to record it, saying "I can do it in one take". Uncle Bob reluctantly agrees.

** Guy, who was the member of the band who joined last and was only supposed to be a temporary stand-in for the original drummer, ends up being the only member of the band who doesn't quit for some reason.

** Mr. White's characterization mirrors that of the Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein. In the film, Mr. White makes The Wonders wear matching suits and bow at the end of every number; Epstein did the exact same thing with the Beatles to make their act more professional. Additionally, in the Director's Cut, [[spoiler: Mr. White is gay, a reference to Brian Epstein's homosexuality.]]

** "Leonard Haise is the manager of the Golden Eagle Hotel & Casino in Loughlin, Nevada. He is currently single."

---'''Guy:''' You are my biggest fan.

** In the talent show performance of "That Thing You Do," where Guy springs a faster tempo on the rest of the band than they'd rehearsed, Jimmy and Lenny are believably "behind the beat" for most of the first verse and don't really get in sync until halfway through the song.

** Faye can only come on tour with the Wonders if she serves as their "costume mistress."

* ThingOMeter: The [[TownContestEpisode local contest]] is determined by an "applause-o-meter" where a homecoming queen (or something) moves her arm in response to audience encouragement. When the Wonders "break the needle" she whips her arms from one side to the other, clearly defining them as "Wicked".

* {{Expy}}: The Chantrellines are basically this for Music/TheSupremes.

* ShipTease: The band's original drummer and Guy's sister are paired for much of the film's latter half, though nothing comes out of it (or rather, whether or not something comes out of it is not shown, although he does get invited to have dinner with the family). We also see the bass player getting friendly with one of the

* ShipTease: The band's original drummer and Guy's sister are paired for much of the film's latter half, though nothing came out of it (or rather, whether or not something came out of it wasn't shown).

** Mr. White is probably the nicest record executive in the history of music.

* TheFaceOfTheBand: InvokedTrope; Mr White gives Guy a pair of CoolShades to make him stand out.

The story is set in 1964 in Erie, UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}, not long after UsefulNotes/TheBritishInvasion. Reluctant appliance salesman / fervent amateur jazz drummer Guy "Skitch" Patterson (Creator/TomEverettScott) is drafted into a garage band formed by friends Jimmy Mattingly (Johnathon Schaech) and Lenny Haise (Creator/SteveZahn), as a one-time favor -- their original drummer broke his arm the day of the big local talent competition, and they need a replacement.

The new version takes off, earning them a gig at "that Italian place down by the airport" and inspiring them to make a record to sell at the door. Eventually, this attracts the attention of a local talent scout, who in turn introduces them to Mr. White (Tom Hanks), a record company executive who thinks he can take them to the top -- but only if they agree to change their name.

* DoingItForTheArt: InUniverse.
** According to the epilogue, Guy becomes a music professor at a conservatory. Guy also jumps at the chance to do a duet with Del Paxton.
** Jimmy plays with this. On the surface, he presents himself as a "true artist" type and is the one who is most invested in the band itself; of the others, Lenny is clearly more interested in having fun and enjoying the pop-star life while it lasts, Guy is more into jazz and is not overly invested in the band itself, and the bass player seems to view it more as a hobby before he fulfills his true calling of joining the Marines. However, it's pretty telling that when you look closer, most of Jimmy's interests seem to revolve around the commercial and ego-boosting opportunities of the music industry rather than the pleasure of creating art for its own sake; he obsesses over contracts and track listings (specifically ensuring his songs are on there) and, tellingly, for all his clashes with Mr White, continues to work with the same record label with his subsequent band.

The story is set in 1964 in Erie, PA, not long after UsefulNotes/TheBritishInvasion. Reluctant appliance salesman / fervent amateur jazz drummer Guy "Skitch" Patterson (Creator/TomEverettScott) is drafted into a garage band formed by friends Jimmy Mattingly (Johnathon Schaech) and Lenny Haise (Creator/SteveZahn), as a one-time favor -- their original drummer broke his arm the day of the big local talent competition, and they need a replacement.

** Guy is this to his idol, jazz pianist Del Paxton whom he meets and [[spoiler: gets to jam with after the Wonders break up.]]

* ExcitedShowTitle: Based on an Excited Song Title in-universe.

* {{Squick}}: In-universe, Lenny tells Diane Dane that his first [[ADateWithRosiePalms "boy-girl thing"]] was with a picture of her on a record sleeve.