A Man Called Otto
A Man Called Otto
Otto is a grump who's given up on life following the loss of his wife and wants to end it all. When a young family moves in nearby, he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol, leading to a friendship that will turn his world around.
Kevin Ward reviewedJuly 4, 2025
The film follows Otto (Tom Hanks), a grumpy and solitary man whose life is turned upside down when a young family moves in next door. Despite his initial reluctance, Otto is drawn into their lives and learns the value of love, family, and community. Hanks is really solid as Otto and brings his warmth and humor to the role, while still maintaining plenty of grumpiness. But Mariana Treviño was the standout as Marisol one of the new neighbors. She brought an immense amount of charm to the role and makes her disarming of Otto’s gruff exterior completely believable. The film has a warm hearted message along with some deeper themes of loss and longing, but at the same time it plays out quite predictably making the overall drama feel more formulaic than it is emotionally moving. It’s a cute film nonetheless, and a pretty easy recommendation.