christian movie review a man named otto

A Man Called Otto

Reviewed by: Alexander Malsan CONTRIBUTOR

Man forced to retire from his job of nearly 40 years

Difficulties of being a widower

An older man who has given up on life following the loss of his wife, become bitter, and wants to end it all

Bitterness, depressing negativity, loveless ways of thinking about the world

A short tempered grumpy old man

No longer seeing any purpose in one’s life following the loss of a spouse

DEPRESSION —Are there biblical examples of depression and how to deal with it? Answer

What should a Christian do if overwhelmed with depression?

Challenging such a person to see life differently

SUICIDE —What does the Bible say? Answer

If a Christian commits suicide, will they go to Heaven? Answer

Why does God allow innocent people to suffer?

What about the issue of suffering ? Doesn’t this prove that there is no God and that we are on our own? Answer

Does God feel our pain?

ORIGIN OF BAD THINGS —Why are they in our world if a good God created us? Answer

For a follower of Christ, what is LOVE —a feeling, an emotion, or an action?

What is DEATH? and WHY does it exist? Answer in the Bible

What is ETERNAL LIFE ? and what does the Bible say about it?

What is ETERNAL DEATH ?

O tto does not like people… period. He goes to extremes just to avoid having to interact with them, and what little interaction he does have with those he comes in contact with he calls, “idiots.” Despite Otto’s short temperament and lack of social grace, the neighbors tend to look the other way and still interact with Otto ( Tom Hanks ) from time to time, even calling on him for help on occasion.

Take for example, Otto’s new neighbors, Marisol ( Mariana Treviño ), Tommy ( Manuel Garcia-Rulfo ) and their two daughters, Luna and Abbie. They have just moved across the street and like good neighbors, they walk over and introduce themselves to Otto. Otto says his quick hello and shuts the door. Marisol, in her mind, knows there’s more to Otto than meets the eye and is determined to make him feel cared for.

Over time, Marisol and Tommy ask Otto for assistance on a variety of things: from house maintenance, driving lessons, to even babysitting. While Otto wants to, at first, say no to this family, he just can’t seem to, and he finds himself warming up to them… just a little.

The world is full of many wonders, and Otto just happens to be one of them.

I have had SO many conversations with myself about how I was going to try and piece together my thoughts and compose my review for “A Man Called Otto.” This is, in part, due to the heavy themes that the piece sometimes delves into (which I will address in a minute) as well as Tom Hanks’ ability to play a role that, truthfully, is very out-of-character for him.

First, “A Man…” presents several instances of a character (I won’t say who) who attempts, and almost successfully, commits suicide. These moments on screen are so intense that I gasped in shock at what I witnessed (or almost witnessed). The issue itself, suicide and the value of life, is handled with respect though. It’s never laughed off (like in one of the “Halloween” films) or proclaiming that suicide is an answer.

In fact, what I can appreciate is the value of life is key to “A Man Called Otto.” “A Man…” speaks to the very messages of, “Life is ALWAYS worth living,” to “carry each other in times of struggle,” and that “everyone, everywhere matters. Even the grump next door.” These messages, some subtle, some not, make their way throughout the film, with many thematic moments bringing tears to my eyes at certain points.

Regarding the performances itself, I was skeptical walking into the theater looking at Tom Hanks in the role of Otto. I have not seen the original Swedish version of “A Man …”, so I cannot compare the versions. Having said that, like the characters on screens themselves, it took some time before I warmed up to the idea of Hanks playing Otto (in fact I kept thinking, “Wouldn’t someone like J.K. Simmons have been a better choice?”). But then as Hanks made his transition throughout the film, revealing subtle nuances in his performance, I realized what a good choice Hanks was and why Hanks wanted this role. Additionally, Mariana Treviño was hilarious and at times powerful as Marisol.

Cinematically, the film is above average in its other aspects of quality. The pacing was slow in the second act (I think I checked my watch twice), and moderately slow in the final act as well but not to the point where I was wishing for the end. There are some moments where the film stops, particularly during Otto’s flashbacks, where the audience is allowed to really grasp the pain Otto has endured, both physical and emotional, for most of his life, and I appreciate how the director went about it.

One thing I will STRONGLY object to is that is transgender messaging that made its way into the film (e.g. There is a transgender character that Otto takes in for the night because he was kicked out of the house by his dad for being transgender) and this transgender character plays a prominent role later on in the film as well. Why does transgender have to be a part of this film at all? Why does Hollywood have to proselytize its dangerous messaging ad nauseum ? I don’t go to movies to be preached at (unless it’s a Christian or faith-based film). I go to escape.

Content of Concern

*Warning: Some graphic descriptions regarding suicide are listed below. Reader discretion is advised**

VIOLENCE: As I said, a character attempts to commit suicide in a variety of ways such as hanging themselves (this is where he comes the closest to succeeding), trying to suffocate in a closed running car, shooting themself with a shotgun, and jumping in front a train. A different character falls on some train tracks, and he is saved by the character who was planning to stand on the tracks and get hit by a train (he still tries to get hit, but doesn’t succeed). He talks once about having a “car running him over.” Someone mentions you don’t “want me to cut my hand and have it bleed on your floor.” While Otto is teaching Marisol how to drive, while stopped, a man honks his horn and yells, and Otto gets out and holds the guy up against his car threatening him. Another character threatens someone. We witness a bus rollover with a couple characters hurt in the process (we later learn a character who was pregnant lost a child due to the crash). A character dies. A woman throws rocks at a stray cat.

VULGARITY: “F*cker” (1), “Sh*t” (6 —including “I'm gonna kill that piece of sh*t”), SOB (2), B*stard(s) (4), “Pr*cks” (1), “Groin” (1), “P*ssing” (1), “Brown guys” (UPS trucks), “Cr*p” (5), “S*cks” (1), “Knotheads(?)” (1), “Idiots” (used a lot), “You little bugger ”

Slang definition: Bugger

PROFANITY: “My G*d” (5), “G*d-d*mn” (2), “ Jeez ” (1). God’s name is used in vain 11 other times. “ H*ll ” (7), “ D*mn ” (2).

Slang definition: Jeez

SEXUAL CONTENT: A man wearing tight, revealing pants stretches, causing Otto to ask the man’s girlfriend if she can tell him to “stop stretching his groin in public.” A young Otto and Sonya kiss a couple times. Marisol and Tommy kiss, too. A husband and wife lay in bed, covered, and that’s it.

WOKEISM: As I said, a transgender character plays a prominent role in the last portion of the film and there’s some LGBTQIA+ messaging in the film (talks about how he got kicked out due to being transgender, likes sports now, etc.).

ALCOHOL: Someone brings alcohol to an event but no one drinks it.

OTHER: There is some dog urine on the sidewalk. We see a cat frozen in the snow (he is found and taken care of and recovers).

“A Man Called Otto” has two primary messages. The first is to “love our neighbors” (even if we don’t like them). Not only is loving your neighbor one of the Ten Commandments , but Jesus himself touched upon it in his messages…

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. — Luke 6:27-28 ESV

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” — John 15:12 ESV

The second message of the film speaks about living one’s life, to live with purpose and to never take your life for granted. This is an Earthly message. The more Godly message is to live with purpose for God. Our life is not ours alone. It belongs to our Creator. Regenerate Christians were bought with a heavy price and so we must honor that sacrifice by living for Him, bearing good fruit in Jesus’ name.

“Before I formed you [ Jeremiah ] in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. — Jeremiah 1:5 NASB

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord , the fruit of the womb a reward.” — Psalm 127:3 ESV

“For “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’” — Acts 17:28 ESV

Final Thoughts

“A Man Called Otto” made me ponder some of my choices as a Christian. Who have I ignored? Who have I forgotten? Where do I lack compassion? These important messages certainly made their way across and could be nice jumping points for great discussions… but only for mature audiences. Several scenes involving suicide, profanity and vulgarity and a LGBTQIA+ message thrown in do not make this a family, or necessarily, Christian-friendly film for all audiences. Strong viewer discretion is advised.

• Violence: Heavy
• Profane language: Moderately Heavy
• Wokeism: Moderately Heavy
• Vulgar/Crude language: Moderate
• Sex: Moderate
• Drugs/Alcohol: Minor
• Nudity: Minor —cleavage
• Occult: None

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers .

PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.

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Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Movie Review: ‘A Man Called Otto’

NEW YORK (OSV News) — The transformation of a grump into a warm and fuzzy character is a trope as old as the Hollywood Hills. So, while the drama-and-comedy blend “A Man Called Otto” (Sony) proves generally goodhearted, it also turns out to be formulaic. Mature discernment is required, moreover, to deal with some of the film’s themes.

Tom Hanks plays the curmudgeonly bereaved widower of the title.Otto’s dissatisfaction with life in general is publicly expressed through his nitpicking insistence on adherence to the petty rules by which his suburban housing development is regulated — and the confrontational manner in which he deals with all those who transgress them.

Thus the term idiot is one of the mainstays of his vocabulary.

In private, meanwhile, Otto’s unresolved grief leads him to take desperate measures to rejoin his beloved wife, Sonya (Rachel Keller). The grim nature of his current existence — and his efforts to end it — are contrasted with warmly nostalgic flashbacks to his and Sonya’s Vietnam War-era romance and early life together.

Otto eventually finds renewed hope after he’s befriended, at first unwillingly, by Marisol (Mariana Treviño) and Tommy (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), a young Latino couple who’ve just moved in across the street. Sunny, spunky Marisol, in particular, works to dispel Otto’s isolation and gloom — in part by cooking and baking for him.

As he reassesses his grim outlook, Otto also reconsiders his longstanding alienation from another pair of neighbors, Anita (Juanita Jennings) and Ruben (Peter Lawson Jones). They had once been his and Sonya’s best pals but Otto gradually allowed minor irritants to dissolve the relationship.

Director Marc Forster’s screen version of Swedish author Fredrik Backman’s 2012 novel “A Man Called Ove” — previously adapted, in its original language, by Hannes Holm — celebrates kindness, emotional openness and reconciliation. Yet, as scripted by David Magee, this character study is not wholly free of problematic elements.

The screenplay’s treatment of Otto’s continuously futile attempts to kill himself, for instance, is somewhat frivolous since his repeated failures are presented as mildly comic mishaps. And homage is paid to the zeitgeist via Otto’s interaction with Malcolm (Mack Bayda), a downtrodden transexual.

Hanks manages to elevate the hackneyed plotline his character is forced to follow into an arc of some interest. Yet, even with his gift for understated intensity driving the proceedings, there can be little suspense involved in a conversion story whose outcome can be foreseen from the start.

The film contains mature themes, including suicide and gender-switching, a couple of profanities, about a dozen milder oaths, occasional crude language and several crass expressions. The OSV News classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

John Mulderig is media reviewer for OSV News.

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A Man Called Otto

Otto is a grump who's given up on life following the loss of his wife and wants to end it all. When a young family moves in nearby, he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol, leading to a f... Read all Otto is a grump who's given up on life following the loss of his wife and wants to end it all. 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. Otto is a grump who's given up on life following the loss of his wife and wants to end it all. 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.

• Marc Forster
• Fredrik Backman
• Hannes Holm
• David Magee
• Mariana Treviño
• Rachel Keller
• 708 User reviews
• 181 Critic reviews
• 51 Metascore
• 1 win & 8 nominations

Top cast 94

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• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia The young Otto is played by Truman Hanks , Tom's son, who was 26 years old during principal photography.
• Goofs When Otto is at the train station, one sees a line of trains parked outside. They are yellow. These rail cars are modern safecar automobile trains and didn't exist at the time the movie was set in. Most automotive carriers at the time were flat beds or side load.

Otto Anderson : [to Marisol] You have given birth to two children. Soon it will be three. You have come here from a country very far away. You learned a new language, you got yourself an education and a nitwit husband and you are holding that family together. You will have no problem learning how to drive. My god, the world is full of complete idiots who have managed to figure it out, and you are not a complete idiot. So, cluch, shift, gas, drive.

• Connections Featured in The Graham Norton Show: Tom Hanks/Naomi Ackie/Suranne Jones/Richard Osman/Rina Sawayama (2022)
• Soundtracks This Woman's Work Written and Performed by Kate Bush Courtesy of Noble & Brite Ltd

User reviews 708

• Feb 27, 2023
• How long is A Man Called Otto? Powered by Alexa
• What is the breed of cat in the film?
• January 13, 2023 (United States)
• United States
• United Kingdom
• Sony Pictures
• Otto: Bác Hàng Xóm Khó Ở
• Central Union Terminal, Toledo, Ohio, USA (Train Station)
• Artistic Films
• Big Indie Pictures
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $50,000,000 (estimated)
• $64,267,657
• Jan 1, 2023
• $113,359,847

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 6 minutes
• Dolby Digital
• 12-Track Digital Sound
• Dolby Surround 7.1
• Dolby Atmos

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A Man Called Otto Reviews

Foster’s adaption and Magee’s script works well capturing themes of depression, while also providing moments that are uplifting.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jul 26, 2024

Once again, Tom Hanks prevails.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Jun 15, 2024

A terrific Tom Hanks in an endearing dark-comedy.

Full Review | Jun 11, 2024

A Man Called Otto is not a waste of time by any stretch, but it also does not demand your attention in any strong measure.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Feb 28, 2024

I did occasionally find it just a bit too pat and too contrived to melt my more critical lens entirely, but it won me over with its nicely handled comedic touches, lovely performances, and both its clear-eyed positivity and its shamelessly huge heart.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jul 31, 2023

If not for Tom Hanks, "A Man Called Otto" might be a boring tale of one grumpy man's perseverance against the elements trying to take him down. But it's because of Hanks that the film succeeds.

Full Review | Jul 25, 2023

The drama movie is touching but never truly remarkable.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 25, 2023

Despite having a somewhat interesting start with the presence of Hanks as the unfriendly neighbor, it is a remake that loses the desired dramatic effect by sometimes going down the route of calculated poignancy. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | May 19, 2023

Tom Hanks was an absolute blast to watch on screen, and his interaction with his co-stars were some of my favorite scenes in the movie. He commanded the screen with his betrayal of Otto.

Full Review | Apr 29, 2023

It proves again, the everyman of the movies, can play any mood or soul. The movie is patient, and a special shoutout to Mariana Trevino for taking a slightly underwritten role and giving it depth.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Apr 27, 2023

Subtle, sincerely redemptive comedic drama...Tom Hanks delivers a carefully modulated, understated performance, as does his 'real-life' son Truman, but the script tends to be overly melodramatic.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Apr 6, 2023

The director is Marc Forster of Monster's Ball. For sure, his saccharine movie is not hard to like, if only because he is a pro at manipulating heartstrings and Hanks cannot help but be affable, however ill-suited for his role here.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 23, 2023

Tom Hanks gets in touch with his inner Larry David as the curmudgeonly sexegenarian at the heart of Marc Forster’s lukewarm English-language remake of Hannes Holm’s Oscar-nominated “A Man Called Ova.”

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Mar 13, 2023

With Hanks as its star, Marc Forster’s safe Hollywood remake is all the more predictable.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 2, 2023

A Man Called Otto is mechanically engineered for maximum lachrymosal extraction.

Full Review | Feb 28, 2023

Tom Hanks is trying to channel his inner Clint Eastwood for this US adaptation of Fredrik Bachman’s Swedish best-seller - the problem is, he simply isn’t grouchy enough

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 26, 2023

A film that gets by thanks to Hanks' unwavering watchability though there's not a beat or a revelation we haven't seen before and taking its biggest emotional cue directly from She's Having a Baby is an annoyingly misguided choice.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Feb 16, 2023

This slice of superior schmaltz has Tom Hanks as a fastidious late-middle-aged grump who hates everyone, from overcharging shop assistants to neighbours who put their recycling in the wrong bin.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 15, 2023

Tom Hanks does his best to look mean, but his inherent affability never fails to shine through. Otto discovers to his disgust that there is no avoiding mushiness.

Full Review | Feb 11, 2023

With a terrific supporting cast – Mariana Trevino is the MVP of this journey, and she’s a force of nature as the kind neighbor Marisol. Without her as a counterpart, this would be a difficult, one-note story.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Feb 3, 2023

A Man Called Otto Review: Tom Hanks Shines in Sentimental but Uplifting Remake

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Rebel Ridge Review: This Is How You F*cking Do It

Controversial mel brooks comedy returns to theaters for 50th anniversary, heather graham recalls her beloved breakout role: 'feels like it was yesterday'.

A grouchy widower whose given up on life begrudgingly finds new purpose through an unexpected friendship. A Man Called Otto remakes the brilliant Swedish film and bestselling novel with a distinctly American flavor. Tom Hanks shines in a sentimental story that treads sappy, but wins you over by the end. It's impossible not to feel emotional in a climax that plays heartstrings like a fiddle. Mariana Treviño nearly steals the show as a pregnant wife with a saucy personality. She reminds that even the most hardened loners need love and warmth despite their mean objections.

Otto Anderson (Hanks) has had enough. He's forced into retirement after decades as an engineer. Otto's job working with millennial and Gen Z morons was the only thing keeping his mind busy. He desperately misses his deceased wife. Otto spends each day making sure everyone in his townhome, cul-de-sac community abides by the rules. That's parking permits hung in plain sight, neat yards, and putting garbage in the proper receptacles. Otto's livid to find plastic in the trash bin. People are so stupid and careless. His neighbors try to stay clear of Otto's wrath.

A Breath of Fresh Air

A breath of fresh air blows into the cul-de-sac. The pregnant Marisol (Treviño), her inept husband Tommy (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), and their adorable young daughters move in across the street. Otto sneers as the "renters" can't even back up their U-Haul. His disgust peaking to the point of parallel parking for them.

Marisol is confounded by the grumpy old man. She doesn't understand why he's always so upset. Their interactions become more frequent as her family always needs help. Marisol realizes that despite his harsh exterior, Otto has been invaluable in assisting every neighbor. As Otto continually thinks of new ways to end his life, a ruthless realtor (Mike Birbiglia) hungrily eyes the cul-de-sac.

Related: Broker Review: Hirokazu Kore-eda's Sublime Exploration of Family's Meaning

A Man Called Otto is told in two timelines. He remembers meeting his beloved wife (Rachel Keller) as a young man, portrayed by Hanks' real-life son, Truman Hanks, in his acting debut. This relationship was the center of Otto's world. Tragic events shaped him into the present's irascible curmudgeon. Marisol has to unlock Otto's secret past to gain insight into his personality. These two stories anchor the film. Otto hides his pain in plain sight. He's not forthcoming and becomes defensive when anyone prods.

The eccentric characters will be endearing to some and annoying to others. Marisol is the picante Latina that speaks her mind and won't be silenced. Her yummy Spanish food is of course better than Otto's bland meat and potatoes diet. Director Marc Forster ( Monster's Ball , World War Z ) focuses on the differences that unite us. This was a winning theme in the source material and is successfully adapted here.

Tom Hanks Champions Inclusivity

A Man Called Otto enters culture war territory with subplots on gay and trans rights. The film has a political point and admittedly gets heavy-handed making its case. Otto, for all of his gruff faults, champions inclusivity. I know that in our divided times Hanks and Forster's approach will be criticized as agenda-driven. Art reflects life. Hanks political views are well-known and shouldn't surprise anyone walking in.

A Man Called Otto tackles suicide with a comedic touch. This is the most memorable and humorous part of the film. Depression can seem unsurmountable. There's no shame in accepting help. Everyone needs a hand after falling down.

A Man Called Otto is a production of Columbia Pictures, Stage 6 Films, TSG Entertainment II, SF Studios, Artistic Films, and Playtone. It will have a limited theatrical release on December 30th, followed by national distribution on January 13th from Sony Pictures .

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A man called otto.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 27 Reviews
• Kids Say 25 Reviews

Parents Say

Based on 27 parent reviews

Parent Reviews

Multiple realistic and long-form depictions of suicide.

This title has:

• Too much violence

Report this review

Could be triggering to those with mental illness, if you have been touched by suicide, dont see this movie, excellent story but not for kiddos..

• Great messages

Multiple failed suicides

Heartwarming story.

• Great role models

Great Movie!

Good movie for older kids aged 15+, love your neighbor; watch tom hanks, suicide warning, what to watch next.

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‘a man called otto’ review: tom hanks in a predictable but touching portrait of grief and resilience.

The Oscar winner plays the title role in this remake of the hit Swedish film about a curmudgeonly widower learning to embrace life again.

By Frank Scheck

Frank Scheck

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Tom hanks warns fans about ai-generated ads using his likeness to sell "wonder drugs", mike birbiglia's stand-up fundraiser for ymca draws judd apatow, nick kroll and larry wilmore, a man called otto.

Set in an unnamed Rust Belt town that has clearly seen better days (the movie was filmed in Pittsburgh), this American version directed by Marc Forster ( Finding Neverland ) closely follows its Swedish predecessor in most regards. Otto, who has recently been pushed out of his engineering managerial job, mainly spends his time scowling and grunting at anyone who has the temerity to cross his path and enforcing the rules of his gated neighborhood, which is controlled by the sort of real-estate company whose smarmy representative ( Mike Birbiglia , in a role making little use of his comic talents) would have made a suitable villain in a Frank Capra movie.  

His humanity only emerges during his regular visits to her grave, where he makes it clear that he intends to join her soon. It’s also revealed in a series of flashbacks to his younger days, in which the young Otto (Truman Hanks, Tom’s son, bearing an uncanny resemblance to his old man) has a meet-cute with Sonya (Rachel Keller, suitably endearing) when he boards a train going in the wrong direction in order to return a book she’s dropped. We see the couple moving into the home where the middle-aged Otto still lives and making friends with their neighbors, and then Sonya getting pregnant and tragically losing the baby in a bus accident that results in her being confined to a wheelchair.

The storyline’s less convincing elements include Otto becoming a social media sensation after he’s filmed rescuing an elderly man who’s fallen onto train tracks. That allows him to exploit his newfound fame when the real estate company attempts to evict his longtime neighbors after they experience major health issues. It’s the sort of melodramatic plot contrivance that feels wholly unnecessary, as if screenwriter David Magee didn’t trust that the story of a grief-stricken man regaining his will to live would carry enough emotional weight.

But it’s hard to mind too much, thanks to Hanks’ perfectly modulated, understated performance — he’s truly moving when you feel Otto’s frost slowly starting to thaw — and the welcome comic moments that alleviate the film’s more heavy-handed aspects. There’s a particularly wonderful moment when Otto winds up in the hospital after collapsing in the street and Marisol is gravely informed that his heart is “too big.” Instead of registering alarm, she collapses into hysterical laughter, with Otto having the grace to fully get the joke.

Although A Man Called Otto never fully rises above its obvious plot machinations, director Forster thankfully applies a fairly restrained, subtle approach. The result is a film to which you ultimately find yourself succumbing even though you never stop being aware that your heartstrings are being shamelessly pulled.

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‘A Man Called Otto’ Review: Tom Hanks Learns Life Lessons

Going against nice-guy type (at first), the star plays a misanthrope who’s pulled into caring for a neighboring family in need.

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By Glenn Kenny

In 2016, reviewing the film “A Man Called Ove” for this newspaper, I mused: “Sweden’s official entry for a best foreign-language film at the Academy Awards proves that Swedish pictures can be just as sentimental and conventionally heartwarming as Hollywood ones.”

That movie, based on a best-selling Swedish novel, is about a thoroughgoing grump who becomes suicidal after the death of his wife, until interactions with new neighbors soften his heart. One supposes an American remake was inevitable, and here it is, directed by Marc Forster and starring Tom Hanks, with the main character renamed Otto.

Usually U.S. remakes of foreign films tend to homogenize the source material. But “A Man Called Otto” is not only more bloated than the Swedish film, it’s more outré, in a way that’s hard to pin down.

Forster handles the flashback of the back story (in which the star’s son, Truman Hanks, plays a younger Otto) in gauzy-arty fashion. When the older Otto — Hanks reaches back to his excellent work in “Catch Me If You Can” to nail down the man’s overarching irritability — contemplates his happy marriage, his mind always goes back to its earliest times. It’s curious, until the film reveals why it has avoided more recent memories, but by then the omission feels like a withholding cheat.

Otherwise, obviousness rules the day here. When Otto visits an incapacitated former friend, the soundtrack spins Kenny Dorham’s version of the jazz chestnut “Old Folks.” Which is always nice to hear, admittedly. Later, a teenager initially upbraided by Otto tells him that Otto’s wife, who had been a schoolteacher, “was the only person who didn’t treat me like a freak, because I’m transgender.” As the television icon Marcia Brady once put it, “Oh my nose!”

A Man Called Otto Rated PG-13 for themes and language. Running time: 2 hours 6 minutes. In theaters.

Tom Hanks Plays It Grumpy in New Drama ‘A Man Called Otto’

Adapted from a Swedish book that has already been turned into a movie, the new film searches for emotion and sometimes delivers, with a strong supporting cast.

Tom Hanks stars as Otto in Columbia Pictures 'A Man Called Otto.' Photo by: Niko Tavernise.

Opening for an awards qualification run in theaters on December 25th before releasing wider on January 13th, ‘ A Man Called Otto ’ finds Tom Hanks in a grumpy mood as a man who just wants to be left alone.

The big question that ‘A Man Called Otto’ seeks to answer, at least on one level is: do audiences want to see Tom Hanks be grumpy? He’s certainly deviated from his friendly everyman persona in the past––movies such as ‘ Philadelphia ’, ‘ Saving Private Ryan ’ and particularly his gangster turn in ‘ Road to Perdition ’ have pushed the boundaries of Hanks on screen.

But we’re more used to seeing a charming, often jovial Hanks on screen, and we’re certainly not used to watching him contemplate, and then attempt suicide.

‘A Man Called Otto’ looks to challenge all that, taking as its inspiration the book published in 2012 by Fredrik Backman. The novel, which followed the titular curmudgeon, a man with high principles, a short fuse, and a reputation as a neighbor from hell, became a big hit for its emotional storytelling and take on life.

It was, somewhat usurpingly, leapt on as a potential movie, writer/director Hannes Holm bringing it to screens in 2015. The film was itself a success and because this is the way of things, quickly hit Hollywood’s radar.

(L to R) Director Marc Forster, left, and Tom Hanks on the set of Columbia Pictures 'A Man Called Otto.' Photo by: Niko Tavernise.

Now here comes the American version, adapted this time by the ‘ Finding Neverland ’ combination of director Mark Forster and writer David Magee. Some elements have been altered––a couple of story points we won’t get into here to avoid spoilers and the setting was switched to Pittsburgh.

Hanks plays Otto, who shares a near identical persona with his Swedish counterpart––he’s known for being grumpy, refusing to suffer fools gladly (he views almost everyone around him as a fool) and he’s always pointing out problems in the complex where he lives. Pet owners who allow their dogs to soil his driveway are a primary nemesis, and he’s constantly checking to see if parking permits are properly displayed from the rearview mirrors of cars. Woe betides anyone who leaves the gate to the street open.

As is revealed relatively quickly, Otto isn’t simply grumpy for its own sake. While, as a younger man he was relatively serious (and played to winning effect by Hanks’ son Truman ) though more cheerful, a chance encounter with his future wife (played in flashback by Rachel Keller ) lit up his life. Her death from cancer has, likewise, shut him right back down, and tipped him even further into Grinch-like status.

Otto has retreated into himself––friendships in the neighborhood soured and he became increasingly bitter. So much so that he’s seen looking to end it all, first setting up a noose in his dining room and then running a pipe from his car exhaust into the vehicle itself and running it in the garage.

(L to R) Mariana Treviño and Tom Hanks star in Columbia Pictures 'A Man Called Otto.' Photo by: Dennis Mong.

Both times, he is interrupted by a new neighbor, a family ostensibly led by Tony (played by Manuel Garcia-Rulfo ), but with the brains of the outfit resting mostly in his wife, Marisol ( Mariana Treviño , offering the sort of scene-stealing performance that makes you want to seek out her other work). The young family––they have two daughters––has freshly arrived in the street, and Marisol seems undaunted by Otto’s gruff, dismissive attitude.

Bulldozing her way into his life through food and asking for the occasional favor, Marisol manages to break through the hard outer surface of Otto’s outlook and discover his broken heart. He’s soon helping her learn to drive and even agreeing to babysit.

The friendship is the typically movie unlikely one, but in the hands of an old pro such as Hanks and a superb actor such as Treviño, it becomes the backbone of the movie, smoothing over concerns about cliché and digging into hoary old truisms.

Forster and Magee walk an uneasy line, aiming to show the benefit of getting to know people rather than assuming everyone is an idiot, but stopping short of dipping too far into the saccharine side of the narrative, except on occasion.

(L to R) Otto (Tom Hanks) is loathe to react to the picture Marisol's (Mariana Treviño) kids drew in Columbia Pictures 'A Man Called Otto.'

A lot works about the movie, even beyond Hanks and Treviño, and a smattering of supporting roles help breathe life into this world. Even the subplot in which Otto adopts a stray cat (or rather, the cat adopts him), which could have been toe-curlingly obvious and cloying, manages to succeed, partly because the cat is worthy of awards attention by himself.

Other plots, the resolution of which you can see coming several hundred miles away, are less effective, but don’t dimmish the emotional aspect too much. Forster and Magee stumble occasionally, over-egging scenes such as Otto’s encounter with a clown he meets at a hospital while caring for Marisol’s kids as she visits her accident-prone husband. The moment, which is ripe with comic potential, is somewhat ruined by you seeing the encounter, rather than simply hearing about it. Sometimes less truly is more.

Yet like Marisol, the film will eventually start to creep into your good graces and might even warm your heart a little, assuming it isn’t already an icicle. It’s certainly not going to move the needle in terms of justifying why another version needed to be made, but it certainly pleads its case.

And at the very least, it’s proof that the Hanks/ Rita Wilson performing gene runs strong, with Truman (who had no real aspiration to act, preferring to learn his craft as a camera operator and cinematographer) channeling his father with heart. Good to know there’s another Hanks actor in the family besides Tom and Colin . Sorry Chet, maybe you can play young Tom somewhere else?

‘A Man Called Otto receives 3.5 out of 5 stars.

A Man Called Otto

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• DVD & Streaming

A Man Called Otto

• Comedy , Drama

Content Caution

In Theaters

• January 6, 2023
• Tom Hanks as Otto Anderson; Mariana Treviño as Marisol; Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Tommy; Cameron Britton as Jimmy; Mack Bayda as Malcolm; Rachel Keller as Sonya; Juanita Jennings as Anita; Peter Lawson Jones as Reuben; Truman Hanks as Young Otto Anderson; Kailey Hyman as Barb; Max Pavel as Andy; Christiana Montoya as Luna; Alessandra Perez as Abbie; Greg Allan Martin as Lucas; Kelly Lamor Wilson as Shari Kenzie

Home Release Date

• February 28, 2023
• Marc Forster

Distributor

• Columbia Pictures

Positive Elements   |   Spiritual Elements   |   Sexual & Romantic Content   |   Violent Content   |   Crude or Profane Language   |   Drug & Alcohol Content   |   Other Noteworthy Elements   | Conclusion

Movie Review

“ Idiots ,” Otto grumbles with every step he takes.

He makes his rounds through the neighborhood, grumbling at every mistake people around him make. How hard is it to put your parking pass on the rearview mirror, close the neighborhood gate or put your bike in the bike rack? He grouses.

As far as he’s concerned, the America that Otto knew is dying. No one knows how to fix anything anymore. A predatory real estate agent looks for ways to buy the neighborhood properties out from under people. And take just yesterday, when Otto tried to buy five feet of rope, and they told him he would still need to pay for six feet—because it’s policy to only charge by the yard.

All of the problems of the world are only accentuated by the passing of Otto’s wife, Sonya, six months before. If Otto were to think about it, she was the real reason why the world was so great. She gave Otto’s world color. Now that she’s gone, the whole world’s gone greyscale.

But today, that’s all going to change. Because using that purchased rope to craft a noose, Otto’s going to rejoin his wife. He steps up on his coffee table and prepares to slip his head through the hole.

Just then, Otto is interrupted by the sound of new neighbors Tommy and Marisol, backing their U-Haul over the curb and into their property. Apparently, no one knows how to parallel park with a trailer anymore.

Idiots . Otto can’t stand it. He slips the noose off his head and goes over to teach these neighbors how to do it properly. He can always get back to his suicidal plans later—if only these amicable and caring neighbors would stop appearing so frequently in his life.

Positive Elements

Otto longs for better days—days when Sonya was alive, people knew how to fix things, and everything was a bit simpler. Otto says of his deceased wife, there’s “nothing before or after” her.

But Otto’s fixation on the things of the past is an idol in his heart, and it’s dragging the elderly man down into a bitter depression. As the story unfolds, we’re warned about how making anything an idol in our lives can quickly ruin us.

Though Otto’s love for Sonya reminds us of the value of marriage, his idolization of his wife has made her a crutch for the aging man; when she passes, Otto must learn how to walk on his own once again. He hangs onto those former days, refusing to get rid of his wife’s coats, which still hang on the coat rack. But when young Marisol discovers Otto’s pain, she gently shows him how moving on is good for him, and how it won’t disrespect Sonya’s memory to do so.

Otto learns another important lesson: You can’t do everything alone. Though Otto thinks the world is nothing but “idiots,” Marisol shows him how it’s OK to get help from others—even if you may need to teach them a thing or two before they can help.

And as for Marisol and Tommy (as well as a couple other neighbors), they put up with Otto’s many bitter remarks in order to befriend him. Otto, for his part, does help his neighbors when asked, even if he isn’t the friendliest about it (though he would disagree—he was being friendly, he insists).

Spiritual Elements

Otto often speaks with Sonya at her grave, telling her of how he plans to meet her again soon.

[ Spoiler Warning ] During one of Otto’s suicide attempts, the ghost of his wife speaks to him, discouraging him from taking his life. Later, Otto eventually does pass away (from natural causes), and a minster leads his funeral service.

Sexual & Romantic Content

A prominent character named Malcolm is transgender. Malcolm’s father kicks him out for identifying in that way. Otto exclaims that anyone who disagrees with transgender ideology is “an idiot.”

A man wearing tight, revealing pants stretches, causing Otto to ask the man’s girlfriend if she can tell him to “stop stretching his groin in public.” A young Otto and Sonya kiss a couple times. Marisol and Tommy kiss, too.

Violent Content

There’s no getting around the central premise of the film: an elderly man who wants to kill himself to reunite with his wife in the afterlife. Otto’s initial attempt is followed by three more.

Otto hangs himself, but the hook snaps, causing him to collapse to the floor. He tries to take his life via carbon monoxide poisoning, but his neighbor interrupts him. He also stands in front of an oncoming train, but he is once again saved. Otto finally tries to shoot himself with a shotgun, but he is distracted, and the bullet instead fires into the ceiling.

Otto is quick to confront a couple people with violence. He assaults a hospital clown for not returning a personal memento. He also yanks someone from his truck after the man impatiently honks at him. And when a store employee asks if Otto needs help cutting rope, Otto asks if the employee is afraid that Otto may accidentally cut himself and bleed in the store.

A bus crashes, paralyzing a woman and causing a miscarriage. A man has a heart attack. A woman throws rocks at a stray cat.

Crude or Profane Language

The s-word is used four times. We also hear about a half-dozen instances each of “h—,” “b–tard” and “crap.” There are a couple uses of “b–ch,” “d–n,” “p-ss” and “pr-ck.” God’s name is used in vain 19 times, and two of those times are paired with “d–n.” And, of course, Otto calls pretty much everyone an “idiot.”

Drug & Alcohol Content

Otto brings a bottle of liquor to reconnect with a friend. The two never get around to opening it.

Other Noteworthy Elements

People film an elderly man who has fallen onto train tracks rather than helping him. Otto says a woman is “full of garbage.” A real estate agency gets illegal access to medical records in an effort to push elderly people out of their homes. A baby defecates. Otto is quite rude in most encounters.

It’s tough to move on from the loss of a loved one. Instead, Otto figures the easiest thing he can do is just to end his life and join his wife in the afterlife. But when friendly and insistent neighbors insist on growing closer to him, Otto’s sour opinion of life slowly begins to soften.

This film is remake of the 2015 Swedish film A Man Called Ove , which itself is based on Fredrik Backman’s 2012 novel of the same name. Throughout the movie, Tom Hanks’ Otto expresses his disgust at all the people who are ruining the world—namely, those who don’t know or care enough about how to fix things or follow rules.

And, if we’re being honest, there are a few things we’d wish A Man Called Otto would fix, too. For starters, the movie centers around a man attempting to commit suicide in a few different ways. In fact, even though this difficult subject is treated in a darkly humorous way, the film’s repeated depiction of it could still be potentially problematic for anyone who’s wrestled with this issue personally. On top of that, the movie also features quite a bit of crude language, and a prominent character is transgender.

Those content issues are deeply frustrating, because the film does provide a nice message regarding community and seeking help amid grief. But those redemptive themes come off a bit dull and muddled when clouded by the film’s bigger concerns.

Kennedy Unthank

Kennedy Unthank studied journalism at the University of Missouri. He knew he wanted to write for a living when he won a contest for “best fantasy story” while in the 4th grade. What he didn’t know at the time, however, was that he was the only person to submit a story. Regardless, the seed was planted. Kennedy collects and plays board games in his free time, and he loves to talk about biblical apologetics. He thinks the ending of Lost “wasn’t that bad.”

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A Man Called Otto: An accurate reflection of life without purpose

Caution: I reveal several spoilers in this movie review.

Earlier this week, I saw the movie A Man Called Otto for the second time. It really resonates with me for several reasons, as I think it will with anyone over the age of 50 and, especially, those people who are retired.

Otto is an older man, played masterfully by Tom Hanks. He was pushed out of a job he enjoyed as a mechanical engineer. When Otto shows up for work one morning, the entire staff is gathered with a cake to wish him well. His co-workers couldn’t even wait until the end of the day to celebrate his departure.

That’s the first thing people over 50 have to realize. When they retire, they will be immediately forgotten. In fact, there are likely several people jockeying for their job, office, computer, desk chair, etc.

Otto’s boss tells everyone how much he will be missed. However, Otto responds by reminding the boss that, yes, he took the severance package when offered, but only because the company promoted a man Otto trained to be his direct supervisor.

That’s just like corporations today. We have interviewed people at Forward From 50 who have had to train their replacements long before they were ready to quit their jobs.

There is a celebratory cake decorated with an edible photo of Otto and wishing him well. To add insult to being pushed out of the job, a younger coworker cuts right through Otto’s face. It symbolizes how anxious the staff is to eliminate him from their midst.

Otto does what many other men would do. He simply turns around and walks out of the building.

Grumpy old man

Otto is not a happy man. There are several reasons for that. First, he lost the love of his life just six months earlier. She had been paralyzed from the waist down in a bus accident while the two of them were on vacation. The accident claimed the life of their unborn son. Another illness completely incapacitated his best friend, both physically and mentally.

There were plenty of reasons for Otto to be angry and feeling alone. He lost his family and he was losing his friends. Add the loss of his job to the mix, and Otto lacked purpose for his life.

Like most men in similar situations, when their lives lack purpose, then other people’s business becomes their business.

Otto made it his mission to ensure that everyone followed the rules in his neighborhood. He even chastised a UPS driver for parking a delivery van on the street without a permit. He yelled at a teen for littering because he dared deliver shopper-like newspapers on everyone’s front lawn.

He was the first person to shovel his walk after a snowstorm, but dared not shovel beyond his property. He was unkind to people, gruff and insulting. He lived alone and the pain of isolation robbed him of all joy. Although is wife had died months earlier, Otto had left her things hanging in the hallway and her blanket draped over their bed. He could not let her go.

No reason to live

Without a purpose for his life, Otto tried to end his several times. First, he tried hanging, but the weight of his body pulled the noose from the ceiling. Then he tried carbon monoxide poisoning, but frantic banging on his garage door by a neighbor needing to take her husband to the hospital, thwarted that plan.

Next, Otto was ready to throw himself in front of an oncoming train. But another older man fainted on the train platform and fell onto the tracks. That prompted Otto to jump down to save the injured man. Otto was pulled to safety himself with seconds to spare. He became a reluctant hero in the process.

Finally, Otto tried to end his life with a shotgun. However, a knock on the door by one of his wife’s former students who needed a place to stay, startled him, which caused the shots to strike the ceiling instead.

To me, a man of faith, each of Otto’s failed attempts to end his life demonstrated God’s power to carry out his plans by overruling ours when necessary to accomplish his will.

Renewed purpose

After determining he couldn’t even kill himself, Otto had a change of heart. He discovered there really was a purpose to his life. Through all his ordeals, he realized he could help:

• His wife’s former student get started on a better life.
• His former best friend’s wife fight a medical kidnapping and forced eviction.
• Help his neighbor learn to drive.
• Be a grandfather to three neighbor children.
• Care for a stray cat.

Although he never gave up enforcing rules and continued to “go on his rounds” every day, he served other people. Love returned to his heart and he brought clear value to their lives.

My key takeaways from this outstanding movie were:

• A purpose is essential for happiness and fulfillment for people over 50.
• Purpose must bring value to other people for it to have value to you.
• Enforcing rules may seem like a purpose, but it doesn’t help anyone. Therefore, it’s unfulfilling. It is only when whatever we do with our lives works to touch someone else in a positive way, that we realize our lives have genuine purpose.
• You must act on your dreams today because someday may never arrive. Life has a horrible way of disrupting our plans.
• Regardless of how painful your life has been or is today, someone else in your circle of influence likely needs help too. In fact, they may need it even more than you do.
• You don’t need money to impact the lives of others. Simply sharing your knowledge, skills, experience and attention can be a significant contribution.
• Being around children has a magical way of making us feel and act younger than we are.

I plan to buy this movie as soon as it’s available on March 14, 2023 . The movie is based on a 2012 book titled A Man Named Ove , which was written by Fredrick Bachman. I strongly encourage anyone over 50 to watch the film or read the book.

Here is the official trailer:

After closing his business and enduring several painful years of uncertainty regarding what to do with his life, Greg founded Forward From 50 to help men and women over 50 to live more purposeful lives by pursuing things they are passionate about. A Wisconsin native, Greg currently lives in Arizona.

Review: Tom Hanks gives ‘A Man Called Otto’ an easygoing sincerity

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It says something about the current state of studio filmmaking in Hollywood that all the things that make “A Man Called Otto” stand out are things that really should make it commonplace. The film is made with a level of craft and simple competence that has become shockingly rare. A genuine movie star is allowed to radiate charisma and charm, and all the performances have character nuance and emotional depth.

These should be the basic building blocks of Hollywood moviemaking and yet here we are, with “A Man Called Otto” feeling special for being a winsome dramedy with some effective moments of tearjerking tenderness. It’s not so much a matter of they don’t make them like this anymore as they should be making them like this all the time.

For your safety

The Times is committed to reviewing theatrical film releases during the COVID-19 pandemic . Because moviegoing carries risks during this time, we remind readers to follow health and safety guidelines as outlined by the CDC and local health officials .

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 previously was adapted into a 2016 Swedish film that earned two Oscar nominations. From a screenplay by David Magee, who this year also wrote the adapted screenplays for “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” and “The School for Good and Evil,” the new film finds enough ways to update the core material to keep it fresh.

As the film opens, Otto (Tom Hanks) is buying a few bits and pieces at a hardware store and then gets into an argument with a clerk about whether he is being overcharged by a few cents for a length of rope. Once he is back at his modest, meticulously kept row house, it is revealed that Otto plans to kill himself, but life keeps getting in the way.

There are his new neighbors, Marisol and Tommy (Mariana Treviño and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), a young couple with two small children and expecting another. The trans kid who delivers the newspapers was a student of Otto’s deceased wife, a teacher. Otto also finds himself reconnecting with a pair of longtime neighbors with whom he had a falling-out. Even a self-styled “social media journalist” won’t leave him alone after Otto, who had intended to throw himself onto the tracks, saves a man from being struck by a train.

Otto seems at first to be a rigid, stuck-in-his-ways old man similar to the type Clint Eastwood has played recently in films such as “Gran Torino,” “The Mule” and “Cry Macho,” men who must learn to overcome their prejudices. Otto, largely because of circumstances revealed around his late wife (played in flashbacks by Rachel Keller), is more readily open-minded and open-hearted than those Eastwood characters. He is nevertheless endlessly aggravated by others for a perceived lack of knowledge or abilities.

The film is an odd companion to Hanks’ recent, more willfully weird turn as Colonel Tom Parker in “Elvis,” which found him working against an accent and prosthetics and a fanciful villainous characterization. His role in “Otto” plays to Hanks’ more obvious strengths, his essential affability even when he is presenting a gruff, unyielding exterior. The sweet heart of the character is never too far below the surface.

“A Man Called Otto” is also something of a family affair, with Rita Wilson, Hanks’ wife, as one of the producers and co-writing and performing the song “Til You’re Home.” In flashback scenes, young Otto is played by one of Hanks’ and Wilson’s children, Truman Hanks. And in one of the film’s slyer jokes, the hip-hop song “White Boy Summer” by their son Chet Hanks is used to personify a certain kind of clueless obliviousness in others.

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.

It is not meant as faint praise to say that “A Man Called Otto” is nice. The film has an easygoing, please-like-me quality that somehow never comes off as desperate but instead gives it a reassuring quality, like a mug of warm tea. It’s borderline corny, but sometimes corny can mean unselfconscious, willing to be unguarded in its sincerity. The tender message of hopefulness and spiritual renewal is a welcome tonic as the year comes to a close.

'A Man Called Otto'

Rated: PG-13 for mature thematic material involving suicide attempts, and language. Running time: 2 hours, 6 minutes Playing: Starts Dec. 30, AMC the Grove, Los Angeles; AMC Century City

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A Man Called Otto - What We Know So Far

The 2022 holiday season seems like another big battle for box office dominance. From DreamWorks' "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" to Damien Chazelle's "Babylon" to the long-awaited "Avatar: The Way of Water," there's no shortage of anticipated releases for audiences to soak up while getting festive with friends and families.

Among the less discussed releases slated for that time of the year is Sony Pictures' "A Man Called Otto" starring Tom Hanks . The film is based on best-selling Swedish author Fredrik Backman's 2012 novel, "A Man Called Ove," with the name changed to Otto for the film as a way to reflect its American setting. It will be the second film adaptation of the book following the two-time Oscar-nominated Swedish film directed by Hannes Holm and starring Rolf Lassgård released in 2015 (via IMDb ). 

With the New York Times Best Selling novel being called "a fuzzy crowd-pleaser that serves up laughs to accompany a thoughtful reflection on loss and love" by Publishers Weekly  and its 2015 film adaptation receiving similar praise , it seems a perfect story to become a potentially wholesome holiday release. But can this American adaptation capture the charm and acclaim of its previous renditions? There is a flurry of questions running through our minds and with more information released on the upcoming film we finally have some answers. Here's everything we know about "A Man Called Otto." 

What is the plot of A Man Called Otto?

The synopsis of the back of the English version of the novel "A Man Called Ove" reads, "Ove's well-ordered, solitary world gets a shake-up one November morning with the appearance of new neighbors — a chatty young couple and their two boisterous daughters — who announce their arrival by accidentally flattening Ove's mailbox with their U-Haul. What follows is a heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unlikely friendships, and a community's unexpected reassessment of the one person they thought they had all figured out." The film appears to be following practically the same story, as its description on IMDb reads, "A cranky retired man strikes up an unlikely friendship with his boisterous new neighbors." 

Regardless of how it differs from its Swedish counterpart, much of the American film's team has expressed great passion for the film's story and what it represents. Producer Rita Wilson told Deadline that she has much admiration for the story, believing that its themes of love, hope, and tolerance are what make up so many classic films. Producer Fredrik Wikström Nicastro added, "I strongly believe that 'A Man Called Ove' is a universal story that resonates strongly with an American and international audience. Making this film with one of the world's best and most acclaimed actors gives 'A Man Called Ove' the best possible opportunity to once again touch the hearts of audiences worldwide." 

Who is starring in A Man Called Otto?

Tom Hanks will be portraying the titular Otto, a grumpy man whose life is thrown into disarray following the death of his wife and being pushed into retirement. He attempts suicide but is constantly interrupted by interactions with his neighbors, who he slowly begins to learn about and bond with. Hanks was attached to the project when it was initially announced in 2017 and acquired by Hanks' and producer Gary Goetzman's production company, Playtone (via Deadline ). Hanks, who has had a particularly active year with the biopic "Elvis," Disney's remake of "Pinocchio," and Wes Anderson's "Asteroid City," seems to be a natural choice to play the role. History has shown again and again that the Oscar-winner has more than proven his versatility in playing enduring, heartfelt characters throughout his filmography. 

In January 2022, more of the cast was revealed by Deadline , with Mariana Treviño, Rachel Keller, and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo confirmed to be joining the project. In March, actors Mike Birbiglia and Emmy-nominated Cameron Britton of Netflix's "Mindhunter" were also added to the cast of the film (per  Deadline ). As of now, we have no information on which characters these actors will be portraying. Other cast members listed on the film's IMDb  page include Kelly Lamor Wilson, Spenser Granese, Elle Chapman, Josefine Lindegaard, and Kailey Hyman. 

Wha's the release date of A Man Called Otto?

According to Deadline , "A Man Called Otto" is currently set for release on December 14, 2022. Sony originally intended for the film's release to be on Christmas Day alongside the release of their Whitney Houston biopic, "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" (via Variety ).

The film will be produced by Tom Hanks' wife, Rita Wilson. It will be helmed by director Marc Forster, best known for his diverse filmography of such titles as "Finding Neverland," "Quantum of Solace," "World War Z," and "Christopher Robin" (per IMDb ). "When I first read Fredrik Backman's novel, I fell in love with the notion that friendship has the power to shape a person's life," Forster told Deadline . "I can't wait to create a film with so much humor and heart alongside Tom [Hanks] and Rita [Wilson]." The book was adapted into a screenplay by two-time Oscar-nominee David Magee , who previously collaborated with Forster on "Finding Neverland" and is also known for writing the screenplays for "Life of Pi" and "Mary Poppins Returns."

"A Man Called Otto," while a primarily American production, will be made in part by the Swedish film production company SF Studios. In February 2022, the film's distribution rights were sold to Sony Pictures for $60 million, making it a record European Film Market rights deal. The deal was made largely due to Sony's continued commitment to theatrical releases as opposed to many of its competitors that opted for streaming instead (via Deadline ).