A Man Called Otto Showtimes Near Amc Hiram 14 (2024)

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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.

The action is set in 2022. But late in the movie, he says that his wife died less than a year ago. So, whenever it happened, it's recent. Otto's grief has now turned to anger and taken a particular form.

A Man Called Otto began life as A Man Called Ove, a Swedish novel by Fredrik Backman published in 2012 that was later adapted into a 2015 film of the same name directed by Hannes Holm.

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Sonya died of cancer offscreen presumably in her early sixties, which is Otto's general age range in the film. Otto and Sonya left behind no children due to a tragic situation that was revealed through the film's flashback sequences.

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.

Truman Hanks makes his movie debut in A Man Called Otto playing the young Otto. Tom Hanks' character in the new dark comedy A Man Called Otto, it was a no-brainer for director Marc Forster who went with Hanks' youngest son, Truman.

In his new movie, A Man Called Otto, Tom Hanks plays a grumpy widower who never had children. However, the cast includes one of Tom's real-life kids.

Otto is a grumpy old man who is aging, has a heart problem, and is both devastated and isolated, having recently lost his wife. He no longer has any reason or desire to live. There are several incidents where he tries to commit suicide and fails miserably.

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 had made a cot for the baby which he'd kept and now gives to Marisol for her new baby. At the end of the movie Otto dies from a heart condition.

What happened to Reuben in A Man Called Otto? ›

The two grew apart after Reuben's preference for Fords and Toyotas over Otto's Chevrolets and the "coup" of replacing Otto as chairman. Reuben, who had a stroke, now uses a wheelchair and is cared for by his wife Anita (Juanita Jennings) and neighbor Jimmy (Cameron Britton).

A Man Called Otto Changes Were Due To Setting

In the original movie, Ove resided in Sweden, whereas Otto lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Given the circ*mstances of the remake's new location, it makes sense that Ove's name was changed to Otto, who is Ove's American counterpart.

In the film, the children suddenly start calling him grandpa, without any real explanation. 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.

He has a low-key funeral held, allowing each of his friends to remember him as a “local community hero.” He passes on each of his items to someone in the community that can benefit from them, and gives Marisol and her family his home on the promise that they “never sell it to those real estate basterds.”

In the end, the fluffy cat was pretty great and of course, he was perfect with Tom. His name was Smeagol and there was also a cat double we used a few times. They ended up loving the cat so much after the first director's cut that they wanted more cat.

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.

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.

Otto goes to grab a rifle. He sees a cap from Niagara Falls and relives his worst memory with Sonya. She was about six months pregnant when they were taking a bus back from the Falls, and the bus got into a terrible crash. Sonya was paralyzed, and they lost their baby.

Interestingly, the climax of the story is Otto realizing his purpose to live again, and the first action he takes is to prevent the eviction of Reuben and Anita from their home into the care system.