Netflix fans left bawling over new Tom Hanks movie that's 'wrongly billed' as a comedy

Hollywood icon Tom Hanks has had an extensive career, but his latest movie A Man Called Otto has divided fans, as the beloved Oscar-winning actor plays a cranky old pensioner

By: irishmirror.ie

Oct 20 2024
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Netflix fans left bawling over

Netflix fans have been left bawling over the new Tom Hanks movie that some joked was “wrongly billed” as a comedy.

The 2022 movie is available in the streaming service’s comedy section, and stars Oscar-winning actor Tom as a cranky old pensioner who falls into a deep depression following the death of his wife. However, his life is turned upside down when his new neighbours arrive, including the family’s heavily pregnant matriarch Marisol, and unknowingly prevent him from trying to hang himself.

Otto then continues his quest to end his life, after feeling all hope is lost after his wife died, but after failing three more times - and inadvertently saving the life of another man as he tried to jump in front of a train - Otto discovers a new zest for life thanks to Marisol and her children. The movie, which was directed by Marc Foster, is based on the bestselling novel A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, but fans of Tom were taken aback after watching the tear-jerker.

The poster for the film shows the Forrest Gump star frowning alongside a cat, and the tagline reads: “Fall in love with the grumpiest man in America.” Viewers had hoped to tune in and be entertained by Tom playing a curmudgeonly old man, but they were left heartbroken when the true story emerged. “I was trying to find a movie to watch on Netflix, so under the COMEDY category I chose the movie A Man Called Otto not knowing what it was about and now I’m bawling my freaking eyes out with that,” one tweeted after watching A Man Called Otto.

Tom plays a depressed widower in the 2022 movie (Image: Press Association Images)

“Just watched A Man Called Otto and I’ve cried so much I’ve got a headache. Be kind to people who might be having a hard time,” another added. “Watched A Man called Otto on Netflix yesterday and it somehow broke my heart and then put it all back together. What an incredible movie, cried lots,” one tweeted, as one viewer said she managed to run out of tissues because she was crying so much. “A Man Called Otto on Netflix is such a beautiful film, the way I cried,” another chimed in, as one quipped: “I’d watch it again, I just have to first replace the minerals I cried out during those 2 hours.”

Viewers complained they cried buckets while watching the movie (Image: Press Association Images)

Tom’s lesser known son Truman Hanks, 27, also made his acting debut in the movie alongside his dad, as he played a younger version of Otto. Tom revealed that it was the director’s idea to cast Truman, who is the youngest son of Tom and Rita Wilson.

Otto's life is turned upside down by the arrival of a young family in his neighbourhood (Image: Press Association Images)

“Truman, who is either burdened or blessed by resembling myself at the same age as him, and Marc Forster, our fabulous director, just says, ‘You know what? It’s always so fake to get somebody else to come in and play you, ‘cause they never look right. Could maybe Truman do this?’” he said during an interview with Today last year.

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