After the death of his wife, Otto (Tom Hanks) intends to join his beloved in the afterlife. However, each time, something or someone prevents the old man from carrying out his plan. To top it off, the protagonist gets new neighbors – the pregnant Marisol (Mariana Treviño), her clumsy husband (Manuel Rulfo), and two children (Alessandra Perez and Christiana Montoya). The young family completely changes Otto’s life and plans.
Fredrik Backman’s novel has long acquired the status of a modern classic and a national treasure of Sweden. The book has already been adapted into a film: in 2015, the movie “A Man Called Ove” was released. The bulky Rolf Lassgård grieved the loss of his wife and argued with those around him who, in his opinion, did not comply with the written and unwritten rules of the neighborhood. Tom Hanks continues the legacy of the Scandinavian grump: he flies into a rage over a wrongly parked car, cannot stand the neighbors’ tiny dog, and is ready to stand up to officials in white shirts. Director Marc Forster does not shine with originality, but at the same time, he treats the original source with care and leaves small love confessions: in the confectionery, the characters take Swedish pastries! Without any unexpected plot twists, the European story comes to life against the backdrop of an American town.
Comparisons
And yet, it is impossible to avoid comparing two practically identical films. For example, small deviations from the original look more like a disadvantage than an advantage. Otto’s cold and snowy present alternates with fragments of the past: in sun-drenched everyday life, a young man meets a girl named Sonya, falls in love, and gets married. The parallel storyline from youth is no less important than the old man’s meeting with new neighbors. For some unknown reason, the Hollywood version decides to cut back on details: this mainly concerns the hero’s relationship with his father, which is given more time in “A Man Called Ove.” This decision does not particularly affect the overall structure, but it looks like an attempt to quickly run through the key moments of the grump’s biography. Surprisingly, the American work’s running time exceeds the Swedish one.
The Cast
The strength of “A Man Called Otto” lies in the cast. The plot focuses on the warm friendship between Marisol and Otto: the invariably optimistic Mexican woman sees in her neighbor not an evil old man, but a lonely and good friend. After not particularly successful roles in recent years and the risk of receiving a “Golden Raspberry,” Tom Hanks once again reminds humanity of his outstanding talents and, in a sense, returns to his roots – he stars in a humanistic film where kindness and empathy can save even people who have lost all meaning in life.
Themes
Humanity is the key thread running through the narrative of the book and two adaptations. Otto exists in a community where neighbors dine in each other’s company, go for a run, and together save homeless cats. The cohesion and sense of belonging to a group of caring people ignite a spark of hope in the old man that even after the death of the most beloved person, life can go on as usual.
It is hardly possible to spoil the comforting plot of the original. Fortunately, Marc Forster manages to make a solid remake with its flaws, but with the preservation of the original charm of the story. “A Man Called Otto” is a completely optional retelling of a familiar story, which, nevertheless, can make viewers laugh, shed a tear, hug their neighbors, and rewatch/reread the original source. In short, not regret the time spent.