Perennial nice guy Tom Hanks plays against character as Otto Anderson, one of the world’s great grumps in this successful remake of the Swedish film, A Man Called Ove. This is a tearjerker done right and won’t leave a dry eye in the house.
Otto lives a solitary life, one where he adheres to a rigid set of rules and has no patience for those that don’t follow said rules. When a new family moves into his tightly controlled world, they succeed in turning things upside down and inside out.
The emptiness at his core is explained through a series of heartbreaking flashbacks. As you learn of all the loss Otto has suffered you begin to excuse his overtly negative nature and then have a stake in his redemption.
While no real surprises are in store for the audience, the film is so well cast and acted that it gets under your skin regardless. You grow to really like these characters and by film’s end you feel a connection and a rich emotional response. This bittersweet drama will pluck your heartstrings.
Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/SonyPicturesAUS/
