Movie Review: A Man Called Otto
Based on the comical and moving New York Times bestseller, A Man Called Otto tells the story of Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), a grumpy widower whose only joy comes from criticizing and judging his exasperated neighbors. When a lively young family moves in next door, he meets his match in quick-witted and very pregnant Marisol, leading to an unexpected friendship that will turn his world upside-down.
Directed by Marc Forster, the film is based on the 2012 novel “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman, which became an international bestseller and was previously adapted into a 2016 Swedish film. The film plays into the “grouchy man has a heart deep down” stereotype, usually for laughs. It doesn’t always work, but there are certainly chuckle-worthy moments littered throughout the film that keep the story from being too much of a downer.
The real standout in the supporting cast is Treviño, a comedy star in her native Mexico who brings real energy and feeling to her role as one of Otto’s new neighbors. She barges into Otto’s orderly life and brings a bit of chaos with her, inserting a much-needed liveliness into the movie as well. Mike Birbiglia is also well cast playing against type as a sleazy real estate developer.
With this remarkably warm and fulfilling film, Hanks and director Marc Forster pull off the impossible: making a family-friendly suicide comedy. Even though the 2015 Swedish original starring Rolf Lassgård was quite successful, after watching A Man Called Otto, it feels impossible to picture anyone else in the starring role. Hanks’ grumpy old man trumps all of those who came before him: Clint Eastwood, Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon, etc. He’s so beloved that every rude thing he says is likely to make you laugh, and Forster smartly balances the crankiness by surrounding Otto with warm-hearted souls who return his barbs with a knowing look and a smile: Yep, that’s Otto! They don’t take his mean streak to heart, and it allows viewers to go on the journey and care about him.
While we might understand that Otto “is something special,” he’s also the dark to the light that is Marisol (Mariana Treviño), the very pregnant woman who moves across the street from Otto. She’s a flutter of radiant energy that just refuses to be pushed aside by Otto’s hostility. And she’s just one strong example of positive diverse representation in the film. The residents in Otto’s townhouse complex represent “community” in every sense of the word: They’re a family in their own unique way, with residents from all stages and walks of life who look out for each other in good times and bad. While Otto’s suicide attempts do make the film too mature for younger children, it’s a strong choice for movie night with teens and grandparents.
