Turn that frown

by Kat Otey

The newest adaptation of “A Man Called Ove'' (2012) changes the story in a few ways — the most obvious in the new name “A Man Called Otto.” The book was originally published in Sweden, where Ove is a much more common name than it is in America. And while this new movie, starring Tom Hanks as Otto Anderson, contains many diferences from both the original novel and the frst screen adaptation (2015), it overall evokes the same wide emotional range of hope, despair and humor.

A favorite of mine, “A Man Called Ove” (written by Frederik Backman) follows your stereotypical grumpy old man character archetype: a go-to for tearjerkers and sappy, fufy stories, albeit not one I generally fnd myself reading. “A Man Called Ove” hooked me in from the frst description of Ove trying to buy a “regular old computer” from a millennial at the Apple store.

Similarly, “A Man Called Otto” begins with Otto buying fve feet of rope (he does not want six feet of rope, and he is explicitly clear that he will not be paying for two yards of rope when he is only buying fve feet). The seemingly lighthearted scene sets up Otto’s character: an impatient, old fashioned yet practical man who has very little tolerance for those who interfere with the routine of his life. It has the same sense of humor as the beginning of the book, with the exception that it is clear from what he buys in the movie that Otto plans to kill himself.

The movie continues in a lighthearted way, but with the darker undertone of Otto’s inner turmoil. Beneath all of his rigid schedules and protection of his neighborhood, he feels that his life is not worth living ever since his wife died. In fact, the ongoing joke, handled tastefully with both acknowledgment of the seriousness of the situation and humor, is the constant interruption of Otto’s attempts to depart.

From various sources, these interruptions — during very vulnerable times — allow Otto’s relationships to develop with the people around him, both new and old neighbors in his carefully maintained neighborhood. As the movie progresses, we begin to see Otto get closer with those around him, even if he won’t admit it.

While “A Man Called Otto” was shot with a dull, neutral palette, it is the emotions that stand out in glaring color. The movie was both feel-good and solemn, a very similar experience to the one I had with the book. The plot didn’t move quick-