There are not many movies these days that have the pathos and power that this film does. Tom Hanks is his usual excellent acting self, this time as a grumpy or cranky old man, who as it turns out, has a large heart in more than one sense of the phrase. This frankly is a movie that most of us who are over 50 need to see. The movie is PG-13 and just over two hours long. It is a film that parents should see with their adult children if possible. It is based on the NY times bestseller, ‘A Man Called Otto’ which in turn is based on the original Scandinavian story. Otto is a man in deep grief after the passing of his wife Sonya, and frankly doesn’t want to go on living. But as it turns out, he is really bad at dying. The story gives the lie to the aphorism that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks. As it turns out, even old folks can change their ways.
Of course in some ways this story is a bit like the first Despicable Me story, or like Up, but it is not a animated film, and the story comes to life in a way that animated films usually can’t. Besides Tom Hanks, Mariana Trevino is an absolute star in this movie who is the main factor that humanizes Otto. And the older you get, the more love and humanizing you need when the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune try to do you in. Love and kindness are a form of grace that can turn even an old curmudgeon into someone loveable. There are several storylines interwoven in this film to perfection, and you need to pay attention to keep up.
I doubt there will be a better comedic drama this Spring than this film, and my home is that it wins several awards, several Oscars for sure. It will be well deserved if it does.
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