A Man Called Otto

Fredrik Backman’s story is inherently touching and full of humanity. However, I can't shake the feeling that the original film was much better, while this version doesn’t bring anything new to the table. The best joke of the story, which changed how I perceive fans of Volvo and Saab, falls flat here. The dynamic between Otto and the stray cat was heartwarming, but the rest didn’t stand out. (30/09/2023)

I wasn't too impressed with the original either, but I found this one a bit more digestible thanks to Tom Hanks. It's still just a drama though, nothing more, and I'm certainly not going to root for them and give them plus points for nothing either. The occasional humor is fine, but there's little of it, the pacing is slower, and the whole thing just flows along without much interest or enjoyment on the part of the viewer. The most interesting scene for me was the gentleman's fall onto the tracks. Some people are warmed by this, others by Gore!! :) (10/05/2023)

No, it was really lemonade. Very well made, honest work, but it hurts your teeth from all that sugar. (19/02/2023)

A jackpot and for me even better and more striking than the much praised The Whale. A Man Called Otto is an incredibly sensitive drama, combining the feelgood genre with perfect everyday humour, but also adding a touching, almost weeping element of sadness and cynicism. When the film is meant to be funny, it's funny, and when it's meant to hit emotionally, it does that too. Of course, I have to praise not only Tom Hanks (who really is perfect even for his age and he does the role of the grumpy old man perfectly), but especially Mariana Treviño, who played her role as the wacky immigrant just brilliantly and it's rare that I've ever bought someone's role like that and wanted to see them on screen again. I cried a lot at the end and that is not a common thing in today's "dramas". A flawless, sensitive and above all excellent film in every way. (16/03/2023)

I regret missing out on the Swedish original because, apart from Oscar, I've yet to encounter an American remake that surpasses the original movie for me. I've grown somewhat weary of Tom Hanks's recurring hero roles. Fortunately, he soon won me over as a grumpy old guy character, and made me remember Falling Down. However, as the story progressed, my initial enjoyment waned, giving way to clichés and an abundance of melodrama that I typically find off-putting. The film gradually lost its allure for me, especially with the emergence of Malcolm, who served as a reminder of the prevalent trend in contemporary cinema — placing more emphasis on promoting fashionable politics rather than focusing on quality writing, direction, and acting performances. This trend has always been a source of irritation for me and continues to be so when it feels forced upon the audience. Consequently, despite not considering the film a complete waste of time, my enthusiasm remained muted. Maybe I should have read the book instead. (18/11/2023)

One of the best feel-good films I've seen in recent years. Such a range of emotions (joy, anger, sadness) is rare. Tom Hanks is classically brilliant, but for me, the film was stolen by Mariana Treviño. She squeezed the absolute maximum out of her role as the quirky Mexican woman. 9/10 (02/02/2023)