Here’s the thing. There is a certain expectation in your mind whenever you see a trailer for a new Tom Hanks movie. You pretty much know what you’re in for. You’ll likely get a story that is rich, deep, and dramatic, but one that will also provide you with the kind of heartwarming experience that only Tom Hanks seems to know how to do. (Maybe not Elvis, but a lot of his other movies do.) He is truly our cinematic father figure. Now I expected the same thing going into A Man Called Otto. This was the story of a man, struggling with the loss of his beloved wife, who ends up being responsible for bringing a community together, and rediscovering what love and family is all about. It’ll be hopeful, and life affirming, and everything would be tied together with a nice shiny bow. It was, after all, what the trailer for this movie had me believe.
Boy was I misled. Little did I know that what I was about to witness wasn’t just Hanks successfully playing against type, but also a deeply poignant and nuanced story about grief that had me in tears for pretty much my whole viewing.
Suicide Is Painless
Based on the best selling 2012 novel, A Man Called Ove, and the Oscar-nominated Swedish movie of the same name, this Hollywood take on the story follows our grumpy, old protagonist, Otto, who has had enough of life and is ready to leave it on his own accord. But when a new family moves in opposite him, an unlikely friendship is formed between him and the lady of the house, Marisol, who challenges him to see life with a new set of eyes.
On the surface, A Man Called Otto sounds very much like your typical Hallmark fare. It really isn’t. While there is plenty of humor and charm here, the film doesn’t shy away from the kind of darkness that’s necessary when dealing with grief and heartache.
Throughout the film, Otto is constantly trying – and failing – to kill himself. It is in those moments of desperation and fatigue that you see a very broken man who is tired of life and craving to be reunited with the love of his life. It evokes a familiar feeling. It is immediately relatable. And while the depictions of attempted suicide can be triggering for some, it is handled in a way that is real and respectful. There is no melodrama here. Everything that is happening with Otto is very matter of fact. The movie doesn’t seek to manipulate your emotions, but rather provide a nuanced reminder that sometimes, the universe has other plans for you. You just have to keep on living, no matter how hard it may seem.
It Brings On Many Changes
This could have been an incredibly depressing movie. But there is a wonderful balance that stops it from tipping over the edge. And while the script is beautifully written, and features some fantastic humor and plenty of charm, the true highlight of the movie remain Tom Hanks and Mariana Treviño, who play Otto and Marisol respectively. Treviño’s quick-wit and loving stubbornness is the perfect foil to Hanks’ grumpy old grandfather. Hanks didn’t go down the typical route of playing “America’s Dad” in this one. He lost himself in the character and I lost Hanks in the role. I only saw Otto.
A Man Called Otto is a great reminder not only of the fragility of life, but also that family can come from anywhere and everywhere. It is a reminder that while life can be shitty, while it can break us, we nevertheless owe it to ourselves to persevere. It teaches us that taking matters into our own hands isn’t always the best solution. We just need to keep on living because we don’t know what joy lies just around the corner or on the other side of the street.
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