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MESSAGE IN THE MOVIES

In the opening scene of A Man Called Otto, Otto (Hanks) is at a big box hardware store measuring the length of rope he intends to buy. He has brought his own knife and dismisses help from a friendly store employee to cut it for him. Taking it to the register, he is surprised to see them charging him for two yards of rope when he clearly measured five feet. Returning home, Otto seems to have nothing but exasperation and contempt for all of the “idiots” in his neighborhood who don’t know to sort recyclables, block driveways with their vehicles, and offer him invitations that he has no intention of accepting.

Finally making it inside his town house, Otto gets busy preparing a noose with the rope he purchased. But his attempt at hanging himself is foiled when the ceiling is unable to support his weight. His dour demeanor is also tested by the arrival of two new neighbors: Tommy (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and Marisol (Trevino). Marisol is particularly perky and positive about life and unwilling to let Otto’s gruffness push her away. She brings him delicious food while Tommy asks Otto if he can borrow an “Alvin wrench” and a ladder to do some necessary work around their new apartment. The couple also has two cute little daughters who are able to break through to Otto’s heart.

And Otto has a lot on his heart since he is a recent retiree and widower (both arriving earlier than expected). Flashbacks (with Tom Hanks’ son Truman portraying the younger Otto) depict happier times including days together with his beloved wife Sonya (Rachel Keller).

Grief and loss are confronted with love and kindness. As Otto slowly begins to allow others to love him, he makes room to care for others, including Malcolm (Mack Bayda) (a troubled young man who delivers shopping flyers to the neighborhood) and a stray cat. Otto even teaches Marisol how to drive a manual transmission car.

This film is a remake of 2015’s Swedish film A Man Called Ove, based on the international best-selling book by Frederik Backman. I am a big fan of Backman’s work, since his novels are popular stories of redemption. While there are a lot of nice touches in this rendition, there are more than a few missteps. Otto’s impassioned automotive debate with a friend concerning Ford vs. Chevy lacks the intrinsic humor of the Saab vs. Volvo conflict in the Swedish film. More significant is the tepid backstory of Otto’s life in this version. Younger Otto is given little to do except look needy and forlorn, which is all Sonya seems to want in a life partner. In the book and the earlier film, Otto suffered an additional loss in his life that added to his pain. Dialing down the grief hurts this story and leads to many maudlin moments.

A Man Called Otto is an old-fashioned feel-good film with a positive message of love and understanding. Just remember that this movie uses suicide as a source of humor and may not be particularly appropriate for younger viewers or others who are coping with mental health concerns. Sometimes, even though a film ends up at a good place, you may not care to walk down the road to that destination.

Halo and Pitchfork Rating:

Four halos: A film about healing through a gathered, supportive community; forgiveness; the transformative power of love.
Three pitchforks: Many scenes of suicide attempts; occasional swearing; bad behavior; mild violence; a scene of a tragic accident with off-screen deaths; scenes of grief and loss.

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