Film, A Man Called Otto (2024)

FAQs

Is the movie A Man Called Otto worth seeing? ›

This is a feel good movie about a man suffering from depression after the death of his wife and how he learns to find joy in living again. There are four suicide attempts by him, which could be triggering to those who suffer from mental illness or have an experience with loss or a mentally ill loved one.

Although most cinephiles know that feel-good often translates into "based on a true story," that's not the case for A Man Called Otto. The acclaimed flick is, however, based on a book; it's the second adaptation of Fredrick Backman's 2012 novel, A Man Called Ove, after the 2015 Swedish film of the same name.

A Man Called Otto, a comedy drama movie starring Tom Hanks, Mariana Treviño, and Rachel Keller is available to stream now. Watch it on Netflix, Fandango at Home, Prime Video or Apple TV on your Roku device.

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.

Life is too hard for us to do by ourselves. We need support from family, friends and neighbors to get through hard times and to bring joy to our lives. No matter where we live and what we do in life, we are part of a community. And reaching out to each other is what helps us get through life.

The critics behind the A Man Called Otto reviews generally felt that the movie was sweet and heartfelt if a little formulaic. The critics' consensus promises that A Man Called Otto will “tug at your heartstrings” despite following a “tried-and-true” formula. It might be predictable, but it's an enjoyable ride.

Otto's character traits are highly emblematic of autism since autistic people tend to have very literal thought patterns toward everything, which is exemplified by Otto's argument with the staff at the hardware store over his rope purchase.

A Man Called Otto was filmed in Brecksville, Cuyahoga Valley Nation Park, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad Brecksville Station, Gilliland Ave, Niagara Falls, Pittsburgh, Toledo and Train Station.

But, of course, Otto is played by Tom Hanks, the beloved Jimmy Stewart of this era, and you and I know immediately that a way will be found for his true nature to emerge. The film opens six months after Otto's cherished wife Sonya (Rachel Keller) has died of cancer.

Prime Video: A Man Called Otto. A grumpy widower forms an unlikely friendship with his new neighbors that turns his world around. Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 48 hours to finish once started.

When did Otto come out? ›

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.

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.

In a flashback scene, Otto recalls a holiday that he and Sonya took, when they were involved in a bus crash. Otto cries as he looks for Sonya. 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's wife has died, leaving his life without meaning, so he has decided to kill himself. We see him set up the house to protect the decor from gore when he does the self-offing. But later we learn he has been told he is not long for this world for ordinary health reasons. He's going to die anyway.