A Man Called Otto
Reviewed By: Jeremy Zentner, Reference Assistant
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Suggested Age: Adults
What is This Movie About? Otto Anderson is a 63-year-old widower and after losing his wife and losing his job, he is on the bitter edge of desperation and loneliness. There is a trigger warning in this move: Otto attempts suicide multiple times. His attempts are thwarted by fate and friends and even though he thinks he’s joining his wife, his time on earth is still very much valued. A young family moves into his homeowner’s subdivision and they don’t have many resources or knowledge about things often taken for granted. For instance, the wife, Marisal, does not have a driver’s license, nor does she know how to drive. The husband isn’t particularly great at driving either and when he breaks his leg, the family is essentially grounded unless they get help from their disgruntled neighbor, Otto. As time passes, we get introduced to Otto’s old friends who have hit hard times and are being pressured to move into a nursing home. With the help of Otto, the new neighbors’ youthful vigor, and some other whimsical characters, Otto is able to save his friends’ home and keep the community together.
My Review: I must say, I found this film pretty incredible. Held up against Tom Hanks’ other serious dramas, I would probably classify this movie as one of his greatest. The movie toggles between Otto’s current life as a retired widower, and his youth, someone who was unable to serve in the armed forces during Vietnam, but very capable of finding the love of his life. Another intriguing point of interest is that young Otto is played by Tom Hanks’ son, Truman Hanks. The two actors very convincingly portray a man obsessed with solving problems and someone who cannot be easily silenced, especially with his gruff demeanor. A Man Called Otto is a beautiful film about grief, age, loneliness, and new beginnings. As I stated earlier, there is a trigger warning as Otto attempts to reunite with his passed-wife several times throughout the movie. With each attempt, however, there is a plot-point that emerges and forces Otto to confront the outside world, no matter how irritating it might be for him. What he finds are new reasons to carry on and to live his fullest life. This movie will really tug on the heart strings, but you’ll laugh as much as you cry. I give it five big stars!
Three Words that Describe this Book: comedy, drama, dramady
Give This A Try if You Like… The Weather Man, The Royal Tenenbaums, A Man Called Ove, Birdman, A Serious Man, Lost in Translation, Little Miss Sunshine
Rating: 5/5
