#A man called otto

[indigoreed1]

Fredrick Backman casually figured out the meaning of life actually. He’s got it down. Read his books. Watch as this nice old man deconstructs human behavior time and time again in a harrowing yet hopeful way.

[waymond-wang]

A MAN CALLED OTTO (2022) dir. Marc Forster ↳ Marisol, if you're reading this, don't worry. I haven't done anything stupid. It turns out having a big heart isn't as nice as it sounds.

[renthony]

🏳️‍🌈

My GF and I watch movies together whenever i overnight. For the last month every movie we pick ends up being queer, even if we didn’t know it before. This week it will be Priscilla which we both know is very queer, but we need more to add to the queue - the more niche the better

(Drop a 🏳️‍🌈 in my inbox and I’ll respond with a queer media recommendation!)

Okay, so this one doesn't technically count as "niche," but it is one I never would have watched if my best friend hadn't insisted on it after watching it on a random whim one day. I don't think it ever would have hit my radar otherwise. Even if it had, I'd have probably written it off as generic Oscar-bait. I'm really glad I watched it, though.

A Man Called Otto is a 2022 movie starring Tom Hanks as the titular Otto, a depressed, suicidal man who has lost connection with his community after the death of his wife. It has a decent number of content warnings (primarily suicide attempts and death), so be sure to check its Does the Dog Die page.

Here's the trailer:

It has a very good balance between intense emotion and humor--the comedic beats give a good break from the heavier scenes without giving the viewer tonal whiplash. I'd watch it again if I wanted to have a good, cathartic cry. The ending is bittersweet, but very satisfying.

As for what makes it queer (with some minor spoilers):

During the course of the movie, Otto reconnects with the members of his community and stops isolating himself in his empty house. One of those community members is a former student of Otto's late wife, who was a teacher. That student is Malcom, played by Mack Bayda. Malcom is trans, and at one point in the movie, one of Otto's suicide attempts is interrupted when Malcom knocks on the door asking for a place to crash, because his dad has kicked him out for being trans. Otto lets him stay, and the entire scene made me cry like a baby. From there, Otto remains supportive to Malcom, and Malcom is involved in the (incredibly satisfying) resolution to a plotline about predatory real estate developers.

I think part of what made such an impression on me about Malcom and Otto's relationship is that I'm just so used to seeing elders treated as automatically bigoted--in media, and in real life. There is absolutely no moment in which Otto doubts Malcom or has to have transness explained to him. It was pretty nice to see a grumpy old asshole character be instantly supportive of a young trans guy. So many people think that kind of inter-generational support doesn't ever happen, so it's nice to see represented.

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[reuels]

A Man Called Otto (2022) dir. Marc Forster

[v1rtualv4mp]

Y'ALL PLEASE GIVE ME MOVIE OR SERIES RECOMMENDATIONS!!!!

Some of the shit I'm into so you know what the deal is:

The Walking Dead, House Of Wax, Edward Scissorhands, Midsommar, Evil Dead Rise (2013), all Saw movies, Scream (1996), Blade The Vampire Hunter, A Man Called Otto, all Godzilla movies, all Addams Family movies, Alien franchise by Ridley Scott, Jurrasic Park/World movies, all Tim Burton's movies, Scouts guide to the zombie apocalypse

[blankinsidecards]

shout out to Tom Hanks and the movie A Man Called Otto for FORCING my parents to sit through a story in which an autistic man, an immigrant family, and a young transmasc have happy endings. five stars

[sslimbo]

[beethovencool]

I’m such a sucker for well written platonic relationship :”D

[c-k-mack]

Otto: I’m not racist, sexist or transphobic, but Ford owners? A man has limits!

[indigoreed1]

Is anyone on this app as obsessed with Fredrick Backman books as I am? Please I’m so alone 😭 I need someone to tell me they’ve read his books and highlighted every page too😭 My friends don’t like slow paced stories that are 90% unhinged comedy and 10% metaphors for the human condition and it destroys me every day😭

[waymond-wang]

A MAN CALLED OTTO (2022) dir. Marc Forster ↳ You think your life is so hard because everybody's an idiot and you have to do everything on your own, right? Right? But guess what. You can't. No one can. And I think you should just be happy that someone was trying to help you get through a crappy day. Even if they're an idiot.

[sojourneronearth]

"Why did you order an entree?" "Because I ate at home" "Why?" "So that you could order whatever you wanted"

[weebssecretattic]

A family can be a man, his cat, his adoptive son, his next door latino neighbour/adoptive sister, her family, his neighbour/best friends and their adoptive son.

[colbertt]

[colorfulnumbers]

why the fuck is a man called otto listed as a "comedy movie" on netflix

just finished sobbing my eyes out with my mom

[duahauuoplanh]

I was tinged with the most magnificent color called Cheon Sa-Rang