A Man Called Otto is the number one film on Netflix right now and audiences are fawning over the Tom Hanks comedy-drama, originally released in 2002.
The role of a loveable grump might seem like it was written for Tom Hanks ("America’s Dad"), but it is in fact based on the 2014 novel A Man Called Ove.
Hanks plays the titular Otto, a now-retired widower who has lived in the same neighbourhood for decades. Frustrated by the world around him, Otto has garnered a reputation for being blunt and difficult, when a new family moves in across the road, however, his walls slowly start to come down.
Critics liked the film on the whole, giving it a respectable but not spectacular 69% approval rating on reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes but it is with audiences that it has really struck a chord, hence its rise to the top of one of the best streaming services. A 97% audience rating suggests that A Man Called Otto is a real crowd pleaser that critics may not be giving enough love.
The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw gave the film a miserly two stars, demonstrating an Otto-like grumpiness – although he did admit that “Hanks carries the film”. The main criticism levelled at the story (including from Bradshaw) is in the tonal inconsistency. Otto’s cantankerous humour is spread between some pretty dark moments in a way that can be quite jarring.
The film as a whole, however, has a cosyness and ends up delivering a message reminiscent of It’s a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Carol. While it doesn’t have a festive setting, I can see this movie having similar success as a Christmas flick for families with teenage children.
Judging by the high audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, If you want to intermittently laugh and then cry this weekend, then A Man Called Otto should be worth your consideration.
