'A Man Called Otto' Brings Old-School Charm And Emotion

(L-R) Mariana Treviño & Tom Hanks in A Man Called Otto. Cr. Sony Pictures

In a year of films ranging from debaucherous epics to thrilling blockbusters, it’s been a while since we’ve seen an old-fashion crowd pleaser like A Man Called Otto. Based on Fredrik Backman’s 2012 #1 bestseller A Man Called Ove, the film follows Otto (Tom Hanks), a grumpy widower who lacks purpose in life after his wife’s passing. When Otto finds himself on the brink of giving up, a new family moves in next door, and the quick-witted Marisol (Mariana Treviño) forces him to meet his match, and his world starts to turn around.

While the film brings this story to a much larger audience after the original Oscar®-nominated adaptation in 2015, unfortunately, it’s essentially the exact same movie. That said, the script written by David Magee (Life Of Pi) feels elevated and provides more depth and insight into each character’s motivations instead of being a word-for-word recreation of its predecessor. The only true negative effect of this is that viewers who have seen A Man Called Ove won’t get to truly experience the emotions felt throughout the film, worsening their experience.

(L-R) Cameron Britton & Tom Hanks in A Man Called Otto. Cr. Sony Pictures

Speaking of emotion, A Man Called Otto has it in excess. Purely by reading the film’s synopsis, one is confronted with the heaviness of the script and is faced with loss and suicidal feelings. This is what allows the film to open itself, but most importantly, allows its characters to change and evolve. Tom Hanks portrays this perfectly, appearing firstly as an old grump but still clueing viewers into the layers of his character. The film takes its time to pick up and draw us into the story, but once it gets rolling by introducing Marisol and her family, the pacing becomes more well-rounded. Hanks has phenomenal chemistry with Mariana Treviño, and the way Treviño commands the screen with forthrightness works perfectly.

The entire supporting cast does a great job, especially the additions of young Otto (Truman Hanks) and Sonya (Rachel Keller). Hanks and Keller do a great job of filling in the gaps in Otto’s story while displaying a wide range of emotions with fantastic chemistry. The screenwriters and editors deserve a lot of credit for making the jumps between past and present seamless and easy to keep track of while making them an integral piece of the plot.

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(L-R) Tom Hanks & Mariana Treviño in A Man Called Otto. Cr. Sony Pictures

The film does a great job of drawing us into these characters' stories and making us feel for them and care about their futures. The way it incorporates its ensemble and weaves it into the story from beginning to end is lovely and makes me want to live in this quaint little neighborhood.

Truthfully, there isn’t much else to say about A Man Called Otto, as it’s a true crowd-pleaser from start to finish. Great performances from Tom Hanks, the scene-stealing Mariana Treviño, and the rest of the cast provide an enjoyable — incredibly emotional — theatrical experience. A Man Called Otto is the type of movie that cynical viewers may find corny or cliché. That said, with heavy emotion and radiant love, the film won me over.

A Man Called Otto hits theaters in LA and NYC on December 30, select theaters on January 6, and goes worldwide on January 13.