![]() ![]() Otto is drawn as angry, embittered and seemingly beyond all hope of having a heart. What makes this film work well is the innate affability of Tom Hanks. It is a heartwarming and funny story about love, loss, and how life isn’t always defined by who you are but, who you can become. A Man Called Otto ticks all of the boxes. The final piece is ensuring that the actors chosen have the chops and chemistry necessary to make the audience believe in them. Emotion and humor must have a part to play. So, what makes a conventional dramedy entertaining? Endearingly drawn characters built around a humanizing and pliable narrative that connects the audience on the intended level and, perhaps beyond. That does not preclude it from being entertaining nonetheless. As film fans, we often watch movies knowing full well that its plot and characters are conventional. Neither of these observations are shortcomings. Its storyline follows a formulaic path where drawing conclusions about where it is going aren’t difficult. Its framework is built around an archetype that we have seen many times. A Man Called Otto was everything I hoped it would be. Being a fan of its star, the choice to request it for review was an easy one. I had also heard positive things about this film from those that had seen it. My wife and daughter have read the novel and spoke highly of it. She challenges him to see life differently, leading to an unlikely friendship that turns his world around. His plans are interrupted when a lively young family moves in next door, and he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol. Otto is disenchanted and, makes the decision to end it all. He spends a good deal of his time endearing himself to his neighbors by complaining about pretty much everything that they do, seeing them as “idiots”. When a young family moves in nearby, he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol, leading to a friendship that will turn his world around.īased on the # 1 New York Times bestseller “A Man Called Ove,” A Man Called Otto tells the story of Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), a grumpy loner who no longer sees purpose in his life following the loss of his wife and “retirement” from his job. Otto is a grump who has given up on life following the loss of his wife. "Fall in Love with the Grumpiest Man in America"
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