I Watched a Man Called Otto and Struggled to Finish It

But it has a strong message and deserves to be understood

Image by Canva — Author LJBentch

I enjoy watching Tom Hanks. He is the kind of guy I would like to have as my neighbor.

I can see us having a few beers on Saturday night, hanging out by the pool with burgers on the grill. I wouldn’t mind watching his dogs while he was gone.

Tom and his wife, Rita Wilson, have stories to tell, as they are both award-winning actors and part of the Hollywood A-List.

Now and then, a movie appears that should be awesome but disappoints. A Man Called Otto is one of those movies, with Tom Hanks as the lead actor.

I loved Hanks in Charlie Wilsons War and Saving Private Ryan. His role as Forrest Gump is a classic, Sully was a perfect character fit, and I fell in love with Turner & Hooch. Although his role in Elvis was hard to swallow, his earlier movies, such as Big and Sleepless in Seattle, are on my 5-year watch list, as are many others he’s starred in.

Of all the movies he’s made, the one that made me uncomfortable is the recent release of A Man Called Otto.

I wanted so much to enjoy the movie. But its focus on death, suicide, coping, and being a grumpy guy didn’t resonate well.