by Josh Sewell
A Man Called Otto
(Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving suicide attempts, and language. Opens in select theaters on January 6 and everywhere January 13.)
Beloved actor Tom Hanks has spent the past several years branching out in roles he isn’t traditionally known for. Look no further than last year’s Elvis, in which he portrayed the villainous Colonel Tom Parker. A Man Called Otto, however, is a fastball right across home plate – perfectly designed to provide moviegoers the kind of performance that made him so popular to begin with.
Long considered “America’s Dad,” Hanks makes the transition to “America’s Grandpa” with his latest, based on the beloved novel A Man Called Ove (as well as its original Swedish film adaptation). This American version tells the story of Otto Anderson (Hanks), a grumpy widower who no longer sees purpose in his life now that his wife is gone. He makes plans to cash in his chips early, but that changes when a charming immigrant family moves in next door.
Otto is initially annoyed at their friendly attempts to be good neighbors, but he eventually finds himself drawn to Marisol (Mariana Treviño), the very pregnant matriarch determined to break through his gruff exterior. Little by little, she – along with her introverted husband (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and their two adorable daughters (Christiana Montoya and Alessandra Perez) – get to know Otto and begin to understand the tragic journey that transformed him into such an angry, bitter person.
A Man Called Otto won’t win any awards for complex storytelling or jaw-dropping plot twists. The movie is unabashedly sentimental and predictable from its opening moments. However, sometimes a familiar story told well – especially in a sea of snobby Oscar bait – just hits the spot, like cinematic comfort food.
I had a feeling it was going to be a tearjerker, but I might have underestimated how many Kleenex I’d need. If you’re planning to see this one in the coming weeks, please learn from my mistake. I should’ve known, however, based on the credits; director Marc Forester and screenwriter David Magee also collaborated on 2004’s Finding Neverland, the J.M. Barrie biopic starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet that absolutely destroyed my emotions.
Granted, the duo had plenty of raw material for their cinematic creation thanks to the original sources – novelist Fredrik Backman and screenwriter Hannes Holm. Still, they’re able to take those elements and assemble them into a story that’s geographically American but feels universal. I suppose that makes sense considering Magee is from the U.S. and Forster is Swedish.
As for the performances, everyone involved delivers memorable, heartwarming work. Hanks has built up so much goodwill with audiences over the years that he’s even lovable in the movie’s first half, playing the neighbor from hell. However, as his icy exterior melts throughout the story, he becomes even more compelling and relatable. As with his portrayal of Forrest Gump, it’s pretty clear that Otto falls somewhere on the spectrum, but the movie makes sure to avoid stereotypes and overgeneralized diagnoses that attempt to excuse his rude behavior.
Treviño, in her first major American production, is just as compelling. As Marisol, she approaches life in a comparable way to Otto, just from the opposite end. Rather than facing adversity with pessimism, she tries to remain as cheery as she can – but she still refuses to be a doormat. She only lets Otto push her so far before letting him know he’s crossed into unacceptable territory.
A Man Called Otto is hitting theaters at just the right time. January is usually sparse when it comes to flashy new releases, which should provide the breathing room it needs for positive word-of-mouth to reach older moviegoers who typically don’t rush out to theaters opening weekend. Considering it’s also solid counterprogramming for Avatar: The Way of Water, which is still cleaning up at the box office, I don’t think it’ll be too negatively affected by that blockbuster’s global domination.
If you’ve been underwhelmed by big screen options lately, especially if you’re not interested in superhero flicks or sequels, give this one a shot. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised – just remember to bring those tissues.
Grade: B+
Home Video Spotlight
Cinema’s First Nasty Women
(Not rated. Now available on Blu-ray and DVD.)
This stunning four-disc collection from Kino Lorber highlights more than 14 hours of rarely seen silent films that shatter preconceived notions and myths about women from earlier eras. Addressing subjects including feminist protest, slapstick rebellion, suggestive gender play, labor strikes, these women gleefully dismantle traditional gender norms and sexual constraints.
The films span a variety of genres, including slapstick comedy, genteel farce, the trick film, cowboy melodrama, and adventure thriller, while spotlighting performers and characters like Bertha Regustus, Minnie Devereaux (Cheyenne and Arapaho), Lillian St. Cyr (Ho-Chunk), Léontine, Little Chrysia, and Edna “Billy” Foster.
Cinema’s First Nasty Women includes 99 European and American silent films, produced from 1898 to 1926, sourced from thirteen international film archives and libraries, with all-new musical scores, video introductions, commentary tracks, and a lavishly illustrated 114-page booklet by leading scholars and artists. A print version of the booklet is included with the Blu-ray, but an open-access PDF version will be available for all to read.
(Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving suicide attempts, and language. Opens in select theaters on January 6 and everywhere January 13.)
Beloved actor Tom Hanks has spent the past several years branching out in roles he isn’t traditionally known for. Look no further than last year’s Elvis, in which he portrayed the villainous Colonel Tom Parker. A Man Called Otto, however, is a fastball right across home plate – perfectly designed to provide moviegoers the kind of performance that made him so popular to begin with.
Long considered “America’s Dad,” Hanks makes the transition to “America’s Grandpa” with his latest, based on the beloved novel A Man Called Ove (as well as its original Swedish film adaptation). This American version tells the story of Otto Anderson (Hanks), a grumpy widower who no longer sees purpose in his life now that his wife is gone. He makes plans to cash in his chips early, but that changes when a charming immigrant family moves in next door.
Otto is initially annoyed at their friendly attempts to be good neighbors, but he eventually finds himself drawn to Marisol (Mariana Treviño), the very pregnant matriarch determined to break through his gruff exterior. Little by little, she – along with her introverted husband (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and their two adorable daughters (Christiana Montoya and Alessandra Perez) – get to know Otto and begin to understand the tragic journey that transformed him into such an angry, bitter person.
A Man Called Otto won’t win any awards for complex storytelling or jaw-dropping plot twists. The movie is unabashedly sentimental and predictable from its opening moments. However, sometimes a familiar story told well – especially in a sea of snobby Oscar bait – just hits the spot, like cinematic comfort food.
I had a feeling it was going to be a tearjerker, but I might have underestimated how many Kleenex I’d need. If you’re planning to see this one in the coming weeks, please learn from my mistake. I should’ve known, however, based on the credits; director Marc Forester and screenwriter David Magee also collaborated on 2004’s Finding Neverland, the J.M. Barrie biopic starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet that absolutely destroyed my emotions.
Granted, the duo had plenty of raw material for their cinematic creation thanks to the original sources – novelist Fredrik Backman and screenwriter Hannes Holm. Still, they’re able to take those elements and assemble them into a story that’s geographically American but feels universal. I suppose that makes sense considering Magee is from the U.S. and Forster is Swedish.
As for the performances, everyone involved delivers memorable, heartwarming work. Hanks has built up so much goodwill with audiences over the years that he’s even lovable in the movie’s first half, playing the neighbor from hell. However, as his icy exterior melts throughout the story, he becomes even more compelling and relatable. As with his portrayal of Forrest Gump, it’s pretty clear that Otto falls somewhere on the spectrum, but the movie makes sure to avoid stereotypes and overgeneralized diagnoses that attempt to excuse his rude behavior.
Treviño, in her first major American production, is just as compelling. As Marisol, she approaches life in a comparable way to Otto, just from the opposite end. Rather than facing adversity with pessimism, she tries to remain as cheery as she can – but she still refuses to be a doormat. She only lets Otto push her so far before letting him know he’s crossed into unacceptable territory.
A Man Called Otto is hitting theaters at just the right time. January is usually sparse when it comes to flashy new releases, which should provide the breathing room it needs for positive word-of-mouth to reach older moviegoers who typically don’t rush out to theaters opening weekend. Considering it’s also solid counterprogramming for Avatar: The Way of Water, which is still cleaning up at the box office, I don’t think it’ll be too negatively affected by that blockbuster’s global domination.
If you’ve been underwhelmed by big screen options lately, especially if you’re not interested in superhero flicks or sequels, give this one a shot. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised – just remember to bring those tissues.
Grade: B+
Home Video Spotlight
(Not rated. Now available on Blu-ray and DVD.)
This stunning four-disc collection from Kino Lorber highlights more than 14 hours of rarely seen silent films that shatter preconceived notions and myths about women from earlier eras. Addressing subjects including feminist protest, slapstick rebellion, suggestive gender play, labor strikes, these women gleefully dismantle traditional gender norms and sexual constraints.
The films span a variety of genres, including slapstick comedy, genteel farce, the trick film, cowboy melodrama, and adventure thriller, while spotlighting performers and characters like Bertha Regustus, Minnie Devereaux (Cheyenne and Arapaho), Lillian St. Cyr (Ho-Chunk), Léontine, Little Chrysia, and Edna “Billy” Foster.
Cinema’s First Nasty Women includes 99 European and American silent films, produced from 1898 to 1926, sourced from thirteen international film archives and libraries, with all-new musical scores, video introductions, commentary tracks, and a lavishly illustrated 114-page booklet by leading scholars and artists. A print version of the booklet is included with the Blu-ray, but an open-access PDF version will be available for all to read.
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
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