A Man Called Otto | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

FAQs

Was Otto autistic? ›

Otto's character traits are highly emblematic of autism since autistic people tend to have very literal thought patterns toward everything, which is exemplified by Otto's argument with the staff at the hardware store over his rope purchase.

“A Man Called Otto” received warm reviews (68 percent positive, according to Rotten Tomatoes), with the obviousness of the plot the primary complaint.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can cause symptoms like shortness of breath, arrhythmias, fainting, and even chest pain. This is what Otto struggles with throughout the film, and it's his hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that ultimately leads to his death. He's also unable to join the military because of his condition.

This is a feel good movie about a man suffering from depression after the death of his wife and how he learns to find joy in living again. There are four suicide attempts by him, which could be triggering to those who suffer from mental illness or have an experience with loss or a mentally ill loved one.

The film never delves deeply into his mental health, though he is definitely suffering from depression following the passing of his wife and probably has either OCD or something close to it. It does dwell on his physical health – namely a heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

While it is not the primary focus of the movie, the main character, Otto, just happens to have Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM).

It's about a man who is 'very bad at dying', having unsuccessfully attempted suicide on many occasions. But Otto's life is given new meaning when a young family moves in next door to him and manages to change his life. The movie is about love, life, loss and new hope.

Both Rune and Reuben have Alzheimer's but Reuben is depicted as paralyzed and in a wheelchair. Otto still doesn't seem to have forgiven Reuben for being a Ford man instead of a loyal Chrysler customer. To make matters even more unforgivable, Reuben buys a Toyota! The “coup” still looms large in Otto's memory as well.

As Otto said to Marisol, the "Swedish éclair" pastry eaten in the cafe' is called semla. This is a nod to the Swedish origin of the novel on which the movie is based. The pastry, however, is not mentioned in the book. It is also not commonly found in Pittsburgh, roughly where the American movie takes place.

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.

What happened to the baby in A Man Called Otto? ›

He prepares to commit suicide by shotgun, remembering the bus crash on a romantic trip to Niagara Falls that caused a pregnant Sonya to lose her baby and become a paraplegic. Malcolm, who was kicked out by his father, knocks on the door, and Otto lets him stay the night.

While it may seem like it could be about real-life events, A Man Called Otto isn't actually a true story, nor is it even based on one. The film is actually a remake of a 2015 Swedish movie called A Man Called Ove, directed by Hannes Holm and starring Rolf Lassgård as its grouchy protagonist.

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 critics behind the A Man Called Otto reviews generally felt that the movie was sweet and heartfelt if a little formulaic. The critics' consensus promises that A Man Called Otto will “tug at your heartstrings” despite following a “tried-and-true” formula. It might be predictable, but it's an enjoyable ride.

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. However, I feel that adapting “Ove” into a feel-good movie was a mistake.

When he attempts suicide, the noose collapses from the ceiling, so he visits Sonya's grave, and has flashbacks to their past: as a young man, he was rejected from the army due to his hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and met Sonya on a train, where she lent him a 1964 silver quarter he has kept ever since.

It would have been extraordinary if Groom had created the character with autism in mind and all evidence points to the idea that he simply intended Forrest to be a low-IQ individual stumbling through some of recent history's most historic events.

The movie's subplot is that Otto also has obsessive-compulsive disorder — OCD. He established a daily routine that benefits his neighbors to compensate for the disorder.