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Review: A Man Called Otto (2022) – A Grumpy Heart with a Gentle Soul
A Man Called Otto (2022), directed by Marc Forster and starring Tom Hanks, is a touching American adaptation of the bestselling novel A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. It tells the story of Otto Anderson, a curmudgeonly, grief-stricken man who’s lost the will to live following the death of his beloved wife. But life has other plans, especially when a lively young family moves in next door.
Tom Hanks delivers a beautifully restrained performance as Otto, blending bitterness with quiet vulnerability. He’s a man stuck in routines, weighed down by sorrow, and convinced there’s nothing left for him. But Mariana Treviño, as the spirited and compassionate Marisol, brings light and warmth into Otto’s dark world. Their evolving friendship becomes the film’s emotional anchor.
The film walks a delicate line between heartbreak and humor, showing how small acts of kindness, unexpected friendships, and the messiness of life can slowly mend a broken soul. Flashbacks, featuring Truman Hanks as a younger Otto, give insight into the deep love and personal loss that shaped him. While the plot is familiar and follows a predictable arc, it’s the sincerity of the storytelling that makes it resonate.
A Man Called Otto is a celebration of second chances, community, and the quiet battles people fight behind closed doors. It reminds us that even the grumpiest neighbor has a story, and sometimes all they need is someone who won’t give up on them.
This is a heartwarming film that doesn’t pretend grief is easy but shows how healing often comes from connection, not solitude.
Have you watched A Man Called Otto? What did you think of Otto’s emotional journey from despair to hope? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
