A Man Called Otto | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

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Is Otto a good movie? ›

A terrific Tom Hanks in an endearing dark-comedy. Rotten score. A Man Called Otto is not a waste of time by any stretch, but it also does not demand your attention in any strong measure.

When a lively young family moves in next door, grumpy widower Otto Anderson meets his match in a quick-witted, pregnant woman named Marisol, leading to an unlikely friendship that turns his world upside down.

A Man Called Otto / Film synopsis

A Man Called Otto began a limited theatrical release on December 29, 2022, before a wide release in the United States on January 13, 2023, by Sony Pictures Releasing. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $113 million worldwide against a $50 million production budget.

A Man Called Otto began life as A Man Called Ove, a Swedish novel by Fredrik Backman published in 2012 that was later adapted into a 2015 film of the same name directed by Hannes Holm.

A Man Called Otto has its moments, both humorous and heartwarming, and it works better than it should due to the strength of its performances. Unfortunately, it's also plagued by choices that blunt its overall coherence, seeming like Forster wanted to make an entirely different kind of film than the material dictated.

A Man Called Otto (2022) is a decent remake of the original. It is worth watching for the performances of Tom Hanks and the rest of the cast.

The film opens six months after Otto's cherished wife Sonya (Rachel Keller) has died of cancer. In flashbacks, we learn how Sonya and Otto met, all they loved about each other, and the horrific crisis they faced together.

In the movie “A Man Called Otto,” the protagonist, Otto Anderson (performed via Tom Hanks), reveals several characteristics indicative of autism, in particular Asperger's Syndrome. These traits align with one of the vital regularly related traits of autism, prompting us to delve deeper into his character.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can lead to congestive heart failure, which is what takes his life in the end of the A Man Called Otto. All that said, Otto was able to live a full life despite his heart condition, which wasn't as severely noticeable until the end of his life.

Sonya was pregnant at the time but lost her baby and is shown in hospital, weeping at their loss. She suffered major injuries and became a paraplegic. Otto had made a cot for the baby which he'd kept and now gives to Marisol for her new baby. At the end of the movie Otto dies from a heart condition.

What is the difference between A Man Called Ove and A Man Called Otto? ›

In the film, the children suddenly start calling him grandpa, without any real explanation. The film does change the ending of “Ove” from sad to heartwarming. While “Ove” is bittersweet, “Otto” is touching. “Otto” still packs the emotional punch that “Ove” does, and it leaves you feeling happier than the novel does.

Reuben, who had a stroke, now uses a wheelchair and is cared for by his wife Anita (Juanita Jennings) and neighbor Jimmy (Cameron Britton). A local transgender teen, Malcolm (Mack Bayda), recognizes Otto as Sonya's husband while delivering newspapers and circulars in the neighborhood.

When a lively young family moves in next door, grumpy widower Otto Anderson meets his match in a quick-witted, pregnant woman named Marisol, leading to an unlikely friendship that turns his world upside down.

A Man Called Otto / Film synopsis

A heartwarming yet shallow story

Based on the Swedish book and film "A Man Called Ove," Otto (Tom Hanks) is a grumpy and stringent man trying to end his life after his wife passes. While the film sounds dark and depressing, many comedic moments give it a nice balance.

A Man Called Otto changed the title and the lead character's name because the events took place in an entirely different country. In the original movie, Ove resided in Sweden, whereas Otto lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

In the movie “A Man Called Otto,” the protagonist, Otto Anderson (performed via Tom Hanks), reveals several characteristics indicative of autism, in particular Asperger's Syndrome.

The film does change the ending of “Ove” from sad to heartwarming. While “Ove” is bittersweet, “Otto” is touching. “Otto” still packs the emotional punch that “Ove” does, and it leaves you feeling happier than the novel does. However, I feel that adapting “Ove” into a feel-good movie was a mistake.

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving suicide attempts, and language.

It's about a man who is 'very bad at dying', having unsuccessfully attempted suicide on many occasions. But Otto's life is given new meaning when a young family moves in next door to him and manages to change his life. The movie is about love, life, loss and new hope.