Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks thinks the story of Daisuke Matsuzaka, Japanese star pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, would make a good movie.

Matsuzaka, known by his Boston nickname Dice-K, has been under intense pressure after the Red Sox spent more than 100 million dollars to acquire him last year from his Japanese team.

"An interesting movie, I think -- one I'd want to see, if they made it -- would be the story of Dice-K," Hanks told the Japan Times in an interview published Thursday.

"That movie would have conflict and cultural clashes and superb sports skills and sportsmanship," he said.

"It would really be something in the right filmmaker's hands."

Hanks, who won back-to-back best actor Oscars for 1993's "Philadelphia" and 1994's "Forrest Gump," also starred with Madonna in "A League of Their Own," a film about an all-women's baseball league.

Matsuzaka last year became the first Japanese pitcher to start a World Series game, helping Boston win their second championship in three years in his US rookie year.

But his record has been erratic. He apologised to fans after a shaky start when the Red Sox opened their 2008 season in Tokyo in March.