It's with a few tears still streaking down my cheeks that I find myself writing this review. The IMDb's synopsis covers well the story; given its simplicity there isn't much more to it than that, but of course the details added all up total a certain richness and that is what makes it a beautiful love story. Love stories are not the exclusive particularity of couples' stories, but of course 'A Man Called Otto' has that covered in just the right measure with Otto's flashbacks about the love of his life, Sonya, played by Rachel Keller. Otto is played by Tom Hanks and younger Otto played by Truman Hanks (yes he's Tom's son). The movie gradually lets us discover Otto's desire to end his life, as mentioned in the IMDb synopsis, and the methodical way Otto approaches it; then it also makes us clearly understand how he can find himself in such state of mind simply because the loss of one's 'love of your life' can drive you to that point, it's not uncommon.
So the movie is more than Otto's love for Sonya, it's about a broader understanding of love, the kind that's both part of a couple's love life, and part of life, the best part of it, the caring part. That's where Marisol, played brilliantly by Mariana Treviño, comes in. She and her lovable family, growing family (she's pregnant) do turn Otto's life around, and Mariana in her character's role delivers the performance that's a perfect match to Tom's own character. It's wonderful to watch them both. The other characters in the movie help weave a tapestry of love you find in novels, and of course the movie is an adaptation of one, so I'm not exaggerating. We all love Tom Hanks and this movie will only cement that affection for him. I for one am glad he took on the project because, as a man of my generation, he was able to convey the advantages of the simplicity of an earlier era in a way, the way, I treasure them and such as all can also appreciate, hence my choice for the words 'phase of love', in the title of this review. Anyone who doesn't like this movie has something stuck up somewhere, to put it bluntly. I hope you enjoy the movie and don't have anything stuck up... you know.
So the movie is more than Otto's love for Sonya, it's about a broader understanding of love, the kind that's both part of a couple's love life, and part of life, the best part of it, the caring part. That's where Marisol, played brilliantly by Mariana Treviño, comes in. She and her lovable family, growing family (she's pregnant) do turn Otto's life around, and Mariana in her character's role delivers the performance that's a perfect match to Tom's own character. It's wonderful to watch them both. The other characters in the movie help weave a tapestry of love you find in novels, and of course the movie is an adaptation of one, so I'm not exaggerating. We all love Tom Hanks and this movie will only cement that affection for him. I for one am glad he took on the project because, as a man of my generation, he was able to convey the advantages of the simplicity of an earlier era in a way, the way, I treasure them and such as all can also appreciate, hence my choice for the words 'phase of love', in the title of this review. Anyone who doesn't like this movie has something stuck up somewhere, to put it bluntly. I hope you enjoy the movie and don't have anything stuck up... you know.