A Man Called Otto Is The Heart-Warming Movie Many Expected

There are times when a tried-and-tested storyline is the thing we need to make something work. Then there are the times when things feel a little too familiar, and we wonder if Hollywood has started to lose its creativity. ‘A Man Called Otto’ might be a blend of both, but in all the right ways.

Having Tom Hanks at the helm is almost always guaranteed to be a success, with ‘A Man Called Otto’ being no exception. The all-star cast - and the fact it’s an adaptation of the 2015 Swedish film ‘A Man Called Ove,’ which was already an adaptation of a 2012 novel - have seen ‘A Man Called Otto’ become the heart-warming movie many expected.

Tom Hanks brings the star of A Man Called Otto to life

It might be little surprise that the star of the drama ‘A Man Called Otto’ is none other than Otto Anderson, with Tom Hanks tasked as the one to bring the character to life. It doesn’t take long for the movie to establish that Otto is a grumpy old man who hates talking to people, is pretty unpleasant to most of his neighbors, and will lose his mind if anything is out of place around his neighborhood. However, we quickly get a glimpse into how Otto ended up this way, with the film showing us he lost his wife - Sonya - six months before the opening scenes. While Otto is made to be almost unbearable, there are times that his loveable side starts to shine through, with Marisol’s (played by Mariana Treviño) arrival in the neighborhood bringing out a loveable side in Otto once more.

There are times the grouchiness might take things too far

‘A Man Called Otto’ is far from the first time that we’ve seen a grouchy old man brought to life - do we even need to mention Pixar’s animated ‘Up’? - with many wondering if the stereotype is merely a part of the movie to add in some jokes. While there are times that it pays off, there are also plenty of scenes where keeping everyone at arm’s length is a little too much for many audiences. Tom Hanks does his best to keep the movie puffing along, with the addition of Marisol really helping to bring ‘A Man Called Otto’ to life once more.

The leads’ chemistry helps A Man Called Otto move along

Being so kind and patient with her new neighbor is the heart-warming addition that is needed throughout ‘A Man Called Otto,’ as Marisol knows there is more to Otto and wants to help him get back on his feet. Thankfully, being such a talented actor means Tom Hanks knows just when to turn things up and down to help with comedic timing and build a relationship with his co-star that really shines through. It also adds to a bit of confusion in the film. While ‘A Man Called Otto’ starts with the tale of the lead in the present, there are two storylines. For one, we get to learn about Otto rebuilding his life in the now. Then again, we also get to take a look back in time at Otto’s relationship with his wife, and that might be where things begin to come undone.

Several flashbacks might hinder the movie’s storylines

Getting the chance to work with his real-life son Truman Hanks was probably a major moment for Tom Hanks. Sadly, his addition to the film could be the thing that drags it down. Truman plays a younger Otto in flashback scenes as we learn about his life with Sonya (played by Rachel Keller), but the flashbacks don’t add much to the storyline. With Tom and Mariana Treviño having such good on-screen chemistry, it almost feels like the movie is lacking something whenever they’re not on screen. To make matters worse, the audience doesn’t really get a chance to learn much about Sonya, with the scenes often feeling shoehorned in and dragged out for no real reason.

‘A Man Called Otto’ is the heartwarming movie many expected, but that might not necessarily be a bad thing. From the feel-good storylines to the comfort of watching fan favorite Tom Hanks, there is plenty to love about the movie.