A man called otto movie review 2023

Otto, the title character in Marc Forster’s charming, sincere, but unexceptional dramedy “A Man Called Otto,” is unable to choose his daily battles even if his life depended on it. The elderly man, who lives in a straightforward suburban neighborhood of identical row houses in the Midwest, is easily irritated by every insignificant act of a stranger. In addition, the intensity of his protests rivals that of Larry David in a typical episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

To his credit, Tom Hanks portrays Otto in an indistinct performance that alternates between quirky and grounded. Otto is frequently correct about his complaints. When he bought just over five feet of rope, why should he pay for six feet and waste a few cents more? Why shouldn’t he warn reckless motorists who frequently block garage doors or entitled neighbors who can’t even remember to close a gate or follow basic trash disposal guidelines? Or raise a fuss when the soulless real estate agents from the fictitious and hilariously named “Dye & Merica” show up to disrupt the peace in the neighborhood?

Of course, not all things are all around as horrendous as Otto describes them. Also, he might be able to afford to have some manners of his own, especially when a new neighbor who is very pregnant stops by with a bowl of home-cooked food as a gesture.

You already know that Otto hasn’t always been this insufferable if you’ve seen Hannes Holm’s Oscar-nominated Swedish hit “A Man Called Ove” (2015), which is no better or worse than this middle-of-the-road American remake (yes, not all originals are automatically superior). Forster and agile screenwriter David Magee show us that he was socially awkward from a young age but at least nice and approachable in small doses of syrupy and visually overworked flashbacks.

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Young Otto, played by the star’s own son, Truman Hanks, had an interest in engineering and in figuring out how things work. He had a side part haircut that was clearly untidy and aptly conveys the impression of a “nice but unworldly guy.” His life appears to have changed when he met Sonya (Rachel Keller), a beautiful woman who later became his wife and passed away recently.

Otto, like in “Ove,” can’t wait to be with his wife on the other side. However, his numerous attempts at suicide are frequently interrupted in episodes that are either awkwardly funny or just plain awkward. The aforementioned new neighbors are our get-off-my-lawn guy’s main disruptors: Marisol (a bubbly and scene-stealing Mariana Trevio, the film’s best feature) and Tommy (Manuel Garcia-Ruflo), who frequently ask Otto for little favors, are a happily married couple with children. In addition, there are other people in the neighborhood, such as the kind transgender teenager Malcolm (Mack Bayda), whose father has kicked him out of his house, the fitness-crazed Jimmy (Cameron Britton), Otto’s old friend Rueben (Peter Lawson Jones), and his wife Anita (Juanita Jennings), who are no longer friendly with Otto. A stray cat that no one seems to know what to do with for a while is also not to be overlooked.

The fact that none of the supporting characters in this story are able to take a hint about Otto, at least not until the second act, is the mystery. Instead, Otto is treated by the characters as a whole with patience and acceptance, as though he isn’t deliberately being rude to them every chance he gets. For instance, no one knows why Otto’s coworkers bother to throw him a retirement party when it will undoubtedly go unnoticed, or why Marisol consistently insists on attempting to bring out the best in Otto despite Otto offensively rejecting all of her genuine efforts.

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However, when Otto finally lets his guard down and begins making all of the expected amends while also suffering from a rare heart condition on the side, the story manages to land some charms. When he accidentally saves a life in front of a group of unhelpful people who are too preoccupied with their phones, he becomes a local hero. He earns more respect later on when he takes in Malcolm and forms a steady friendship with Marisol, which is a satisfying plot point in an otherwise predictable tale.

However, the adaptation by Forster is best known for its valuable message about the small victories of everyday people who fight back against the evils of faceless corporations. A Man Called Otto is not nearly as socially conscious or philosophical as “About Schmidt” or “I, Daniel Blake,” two films that occasionally hit similar notes. However, it will still be a healthy hit with everyone at your next family get-together.