'Captain Phillips' premieres at NY Film Festival

NEW YORK: Tom Hanks has had enough of playing real people.

In Paul Greengrass' docudrama ``Captain Phillips,'' which premiered Friday as the opening night film of the New York Film Festival, he plays Richard Phillips, the captain of a cargo ship famously taken by Somali pirates in 2009.

Earlier this year, Hanks made his Broadway debut playing New York journalist Mike McAlary in Nora Ephron's ``Lucky Guy.'' And later this year, he stars as Walt Disney in ``Saving Mr. Banks,'' about the making of ``Mary Poppins.''

``I got to get out of this racket,'' Hanks said sheepishly ahead of the Friday night premiere. ``It's killing me.''

``Captain Phillips,'' which is expected to be a major contender in Hollywood's awards season, debuted at the NYFF to enthusiastic reviews and particular acclaim for Hanks' performance.

But playing real-life people comes with various pressures of authenticity. Verisimilitude is a primary aim for Greengrass, who made the true-life tales ``United 93'' and ``Bloody Sunday'' with similar documentary-like realism.

Hanks met several times with Phillips at his Vermont home to help prepare for the role.

``You don't want to be an idiot,'' said Hanks. ``You don't want to ask, `What were you feeling? What was it like? What were you feeling? Are you a hero?' _ you know, ask questions like most journalists do when the time comes.''

The crowd, composed largely of members of the media, roared.

``Captain Phillips'' opens in theaters Oct. 11. The 51st New York Film Festival, which also will feature the premieres of Spike Jonze's ``Her'' and Ben Stiller's ``The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,'' runs through Oct. 13.