For All Things Considered's series on Men in America, we asked the guys out there: What are the movies that make you cry? While reading through the 5,000+ responses, we started to notice a recurring theme — or should we say, a recurring man: Tom Hanks.
Hanks was mentioned far more than any other actor and for a wider array of performances — from Captain Phillips to Philadelphia, among many others.
So what makes him the master emotional manipulator in Hollywood?
We actually put that question to Hanks' agent in Hollywood, but haven't heard back. So instead, let's take a look at some of his most-cited performances.
Editor's Note: We're talking about the emotional climax of a lot of movies here. Suffice it to say, you've been warned about a boatload of spoilers.
Forrest Gump
This movie can be an emotional roller coaster at times, but there are a few scenes that were mentioned over and over again. The first arrives when Forrest meets the son he didn't know he had.
"But...is he smart or is he..." asked Forrest Gump of little Forrest. #menpr
— Richard Yeh (@ryeh) July 31, 2014