A Man Called Otto

I went into this movie with little expectations, and came out with this added to one of my favourite films of all time. I felt every emotion during this experience. I couldn't picture anyone else play the character of Otto, Tom hanks absolutely nailed it in this. Along with the female lead, she was hilarious and had the whole cinema laughing at times!

I will recommend this film for a long time. I go to the cinema once a week atleast and this has been the best watch in a very long time.

Don't forget to bring your tissues. It'll have you on an emotional roller coaster but you won't want to get off.

Yesterday, the last day of 2022, a Saturday my wife and I decided to go to the movies to spend an afternoon out together. So I pulled up the local movie theatre to see what was playing and this was showing (English version) and the other movie with the blue aliens (we were not up for watching a 3 hour extravaganza). Never heard of this movie so looked up the preview on IMDB and thought we'd enjoy it. Noticed it hasn't come out in the States yet, we're south of the border.

The movie is down to earth and incredibly believable. Tom Hanks carries the movie with his great charm and acting as an unlikeable cranky old man. No one wants to live in a community with someone like him hounding you ever day for every little thing.

As the story unfolds you see how unhappy he is with life with the injustices he went through that ultimately left him alone and unloved in a cold world and wanting to leave this world. Something too many people can relate to. I liked how at the end of the movie they leave a mention of the hotline number 988 for people contemplating ending their lives and need to talk to someone.

The movie had us laughing, the comedy is great, and it touches your heart as you see the new family that moves in is willing to put up with Otto's crankiness and show him love.

It is a good lesson for everyone. We should all be good neighbors to each other. And usually there is a reason behind the pain and the bitterness in a person. And patience and love can break through the rough exterior and find the good in a person that is crying out for attention and love even when they don't act like it.

What a great movie to end the year to, we're glad we saw it at the movies and I just wanted to come and add a comment here for anyone wondering whether this is worth the watch. In my opinion it is. It's a movie that will leave you thinking, and pondering over it, over the human condition, and our relationships with each other. Not just a have a fun time and leave forget about it.

This was not marketed well. The trailers made it look like much more of a comedy than it actually was. There are some funny scenes/lines, but it's a very serious movie in many aspects, very much a dramady.

It deals with mental health issues like loneliness, loss and depression in a sensitive manner. The acting is good with Tom Hanks giving his usual outstanding performance. The writing is mostly solid but gets a little too on the nose in parts. My main criticism is it could have used a little more editing, but that seems to be an issue with most movies today. It was about 20 minutes too long.

I streamed this but would've been fine paying to see it in a theater. Definitely worth watching.

Wow. I was not prepared for that. I thought I was going to see a comedy film about a grumpy man who gets frustrated with his neighbours. I did not expect to be in tears by the end - and not tears of laughter.

I did not have the experience of the original book or film so I went into this with no particular expectations. It's been a long time since a movie touched me in this way.

Tom Hanks excels as Otto in a character so unlike any other he has played before. His own son played his younger self which added a level of authenticity to the role. The supporting cast brought a mix of humour and pathos resulting in beautiful and moving film that hit all the right notes.

Don't go and see this without tissues folks!

The original Swedish version (A man called Ove) is a masterpiece and so I when I watched this remake I was worried that it would be a poor paper version in comparison to the depth of the original. Whilst there is the slight inevitable "warming" of the production for the American audience, I was pleased that the key themes were carried over well and the tweaks made to westernise the story were done delicately and consistently woven throughout the whole of the film.

It's obvious that Tom Hanks had studied the original in minute detail, he really did justice to the portal of the character, owning it but demonstrating awareness of how brilliantly the original Swedish actor had delivered the nuances of this unique depressed and cantankerous old man.

I struggle with subtitles but really enjoyed the Swedish version and recommend you watch it if you enjoyed this one.