A Man Called Otto looks to be Tom Hanks‘s Gran Torino.
Similar to that Clint Eastwood flick about a gruff “get off my lawn” codger, Hanks stars in A Man Called Otto, based on the book (and Oscar-nominated Swedish film adaptation) “A Man Called Ove.”
As this first trailer reveals, Hanks plays a grumpy old widower whose nasty disposition keeps him alienated from others in his neighborhood. But by broaching this premise with a feel-good tone, A Man Called Otto promises to be about the journey of that title character as he lets down his guard in order to let other people in.
Hanks lays it on a little thick, complete with the overly-gruff vocal register, but this looks to be a crowd-pleaser that also could garner Hanks some Oscar attention.
For those familiar with the Swedish original, it’ll be interesting to see if this American adaptation will fully embrace some of that version’s weightier themes and issues.
Directed by Marc Forster (Finding Neverland, Stranger Than Fiction) and produced by Hanks’ Playtone banner, A Man Called Otto opens in select theaters this Christmas before going nationwide on January 13, 2023
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