A Man Called Otto

Moviegoers meet Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks) buying a rope from a hardware store. Unwilling to pay for six feet of rope because he only needs five, Otto enters into another petty grievance with the store staff. Back to his neighborhood of identical row apartments, Otto plans to use this newly purchased rope to end his own life. But he is interrupted by a new neighbor, Marisol, (Marina Treviño) who brings him a home-cooked meal to introduce herself. Otto cannot reject this young Latino woman who seems kind and appears to be pregnant. He puts aside his suicide plan for the time being.

This movie might seem like it is about a grumpy old widower who treats his neighbors poorly. But really, it’s about how human connections go deeper than what meets the eye. Even in the case of the most unpleasant person, there can be a story of profound heartbreak, such as that which Otto experienced. 

In the next few months, Marisol and her husband keep showing up at Otto’s door, asking for his help. Otto begins to reflect back on his life. He has not always been a petty and negative person. 

As Marisol and her family begin to thaw Otto’s frozen heart, Otto begins to experience more positive interactions and engage in genuine friendships. This movie is based on the worldwide bestseller, 2012’s A Man Called Ove by Swedish author Fredrik Backman. (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+ and other platforms).