A Man Called Otto Showtimes Near Cinemark Palace 20 (2024)

FAQs

What is the story behind the movie A Man Called Otto? ›

Otto Anderson is a 63-year-old widower, living in a rowhouse in suburban Pittsburgh. Six months after losing his wife Sonya, a schoolteacher, Otto has become a cynical, fastidious curmudgeon. Pushed into retirement from his job at a steel plant, he cancels his utilities and plans to kill himself to join his late wife.

With a perfect Tom Hanks in the lead, A Man Called Otto is almost guaranteed to make you laugh and cry.

A Man Called Otto (2022) is 2 hr 6 min long.

A Man Called Otto (2022) is a remake of the 2015 Swedish film A Man Called Ove, which was based on the 2012 novel by Fredrik Backman. The film stars Tom Hanks as Otto, a bitter and lonely widower who plans to end his life after losing his wife Sonya (Rachel Keller).

Backman's novel is fictional, and not based on a true story. That said, Backman was inspired to write his novel by a real-life Swedish curmudgeon named Ove. But other than the man's name and his grumpy disposition, everything Backman imagined for A Man Called Ove was entirely made up.

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.

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 main messages from A Man Called Otto are that even when everything looks desperate there's still hope, and we can find new meaning to life if we look for it. Values in A Man Called Otto that you could reinforce with your children include persistence, kindness and hope.

A terrific Tom Hanks in an endearing dark-comedy. Rotten score. A Man Called Otto is not a waste of time by any stretch, but it also does not demand your attention in any strong measure. Fresh score.

Elizabeth Ann Hanks

Tom Hanks / Daughter

Is the cat in A Man Called Otto real? ›

About 10% of the cat ended up being all in-camera and about 20% CG cat. The rest are cat comps, greenscreen plates comped in to the photography. JAMM Visual, led by Kevin Pierce, completed all of the cat work. They did the CG cat and they did all of the cat comps, which turned out very well.

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.

That's because Otto has non-verbal autism and relies on a tablet to communicate. But that's not the only way Otto communicates how he's feeling: He spins a pipe cleaner, swings super high, and snuggles up next to his sister under a pile stuffed animals to show his likes and dislikes.

The Big Picture

Director Marc Forster expertly tackles themes of immigration, grief, and community in this emotionally resonant film adaptation. Otto's journey from reclusive grump to community hero will inspire laughter and tears, showcasing the power of human connection.

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.