A Man Called Otto movie review

MOVIE TITLE: A Man Called Otto

This dramatic comedy movie is now available to stream online.

RATING: PG-13

LENGTH: 2 hours 6 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: B+

IN A NUTSHELL:

While film critics have been less impressed with this movie, audiences are loving it, including me.

The film is based on the popular Swedish book of the same name in 2012 by Fredrik Bachman. In 2015, the film adaptation was made with a slight name change: A Man Called Ove. It was actually nominated for two Academy Awards as a foreign film entry and grossed more money than any other foreign flick in the USA in 2016!

THINGS I LIKED:

Tom Hanks is awesome, as always. He has lost some weight and looks good. He and his wife, Rita, are both producers of the film. In order to make him look younger in one scene, the visual effects team created a digital blueprint by using some footage and still shots from the 1989 movie he starred in called The Burbs, a dark comedy. The actor who plays Otto when he was younger is played by Tom Hanks’ son, Truman.
Mariana Trevino offered an equal match in performance.
The movie accurately portrays the sadness someone feels when their spouse dies and how lost they feel.
The nonlinear storytelling works well, slowly filling in the missing details.
I laughed out loud the moment we see Otto asleep with a book on his chest called “I Feel Angry.”
Tom Hanks’ character mentions that America is dying. Do you agree?
Mexican food is featured. Yum.
The soundtrack is absolutely lovely.
There’s a black-and-white Papillon in the movie! I had one of those too!
The movie has all the feels. You WILL cry.
Keep watching during the rolling credits at the end for some sweet images that extend the story details a little bit.
At the end of the movie, there is a reminder that hotlines are available to those struggling through a crisis.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

One complaint I’ve heard about Tom Hanks is that he’s just too doggone likable, so it’s hard to believe he’s a cranky, old man. I thought he did a fine job, but the actor who came to my mind who could have been cast in this role instead was J.K. Simmons. What do you think?
Another complaint I keep hearing is that this movie isn’t as good as the Swedish original or the book. I never saw the original Swedish film or read the book, so I had zero expectations for this movie, other than the fact I’m a Tom Hanks fan. That Hollywood remade the movie simply means the story and source material will have a wider audience.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Some profanity in English and Spanish. A little girl swears too.
We see someone attempt suicide several times in a variety of ways.
A lot of Spanish is spoken without subtitles.
One of the characters is Trans. It’s played by a Trans actor in real life: Mack Bayda.
One of the characters suffers from Parkinson’s disease. My stepmom just passed away last week after living with Parkinson’s for 7 years.

THEMES:

Friendship and neighbors
Getting along with others
Community
Suicide
Love and loss
Kindness
Anger Management
Parkinson’s disease
Family
We all need one another

FUNNY LINES:

“Anyone who thinks they need radar to back up a car shouldn’t be allowed to drive one.” – Otto (Tom Hanks)
“It was all the clown’s fault.” – Otto (Tom Hanks)
“Idiot.” – Otto (Tom Hanks)
“You’re really bad at dying.” – Marisol (Mariana Trevino)
“We haven’t even left yet and they’re trying to erase us.” – Otto (Tom Hanks)