Tom Hanks produces and stars in a film that is the second cinematic adaptation of the book “A Man Called Ove”, an international success by Swedish author Fredrick Backman. The first film which portrayed the story was shot in Sweden and released in Christmas 2015 under the title Mr. Ove. Directed by Hannes Holm, it was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Makeup.
It cannot be said that the Hollywood remake had the same success, although many aspects of Marc Forster’s direction are certainly interesting in visually elaborating a script that is quite faithful to the original novel, except for some changes mainly due to the American setting instead of the Nordic one.
Hanks plays the role of Otto, a sixty-year-old man who is rigid, precise, punctual, obsessive, and obsessed with order and respect for rules, especially those of the neighbourhood. He begins his rounds early in the morning, checking that no one has parked in the second row, that no one enters beyond the gate of the private road where he lives and that no one has messed up the waste separation. And he does not accept mistakes, ready to scold everyone, from the eccentric neighbour with her high heels and miniature dog, to the careless drivers, to anyone who disrupts the meticulous order of his days, which have become empty since his early retirement, warmly “suggested” by his supervisor. But the truth is that they have been empty since the premature death of his wife Sonja, a 60-year-old high school teacher who was later revealed to be a victim of an ancient car accident that had left her in a wheelchair for half of her life. She dies six months ago, and for Otto, this is too much to bear.
For this reason, Otto meticulously plans his suicide, which never seems to succeed. Thus, the film essentially becomes the story of Otto’s failed suicide attempts. First with a rope around his neck, then with carbon monoxide, with a running train, and finally with a gun, each one thwarted by the sudden entry of an element of disorder into his life. This unpredictable element of chaos is called community. Otto gradually discovers its value and importance and, consequently, the possibility of still having a role for someone. And he does so gradually. Through a loud Mexican family that moves into the neighbourhood, through a transgender boy who was a beloved student of his wife, through the rediscovery of friendships buried by an old grudge that now resurface in the old man’s life.
Each time, Otto is faced with a choice. He could return to his wife, ignoring the requests for help from those around him – whether it be a boy in need of shelter, a pregnant woman who can’t drive, a man who falls on the railway tracks, a struggling couple, or even a half-frozen stray cat. But instead, each time he chooses to “postpone” his death wish, in order to help the lives of those around him. In doing so, and overwhelmed by disorder and unpredictability, he understands that it can sometimes be beautiful: that’s what love brings with itself.
By embracing the unknown, Otto finds a family where he had none, a role where it seemed lost. He is no longer just Sonja’s husband (or better, widow), but now he is also “abuelo Otto”. Uncle Otto, and a friend to many.
Certainly, the film delivers a sweet and poetic message about the importance of community and the fact that no one can save themselves alone. It is, therefore, a sort of feel-good dramedy, complete with moments of irony, and is enhanced by the extraordinary presence of Tom Hanks, who can never disappoint.
However, it can be said – although this may be partially attributed to the novel from which it is adapted – that it is a predictable film, at times sentimental, and ultimately inconsequential. The many coincidences that interrupt the man’s suicide attempts each time seem a bit too far-fetched and implausible. This could be acceptable if the film had given a touch of the fantastic or supernatural, some hint of magic. But this is lacking, making these moments somewhat surreal and certainly improbable.
The film desperately tries to jerk tears in its final moments, which it may succeed in doing, but it does so in simply relying on clichés and déjà vu, ultimately making it a predictable and occasionally boring film.
However, the direction manages to play with the curiosity of the audience, not so much in the present narrative but in the storytelling of the past, gradually revealing elements of the love story between Sonja and Otto in a wise way.
In any case, A Man Called Otto is one of those light films to watch on a Sunday when you have nothing else to do and it’s cold outside. You will probably forget about it soon enough, but it will make you feel good about humanity while it’s on.
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