10 Movies To Watch If You Loved A Man Called Otto

Tom Hanks premiered his latest star vehicle, A Man Called Otto, on December 30. The second adaptation of the beloved novel A Man Called Ove, the film deals with a retired and grumpy man who forms an unlikely friendship with his neighbors. Mariana Treviño and Manuel García Rulfo co-star.

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Films about unexpected friendships are not uncommon; Hollywood has been exploring the concept since time immemorial. Thus, fans of Hanks’ latest will surely want to check these other films out. Featuring similar themes of unique people forming unexpected connections against all odds, these movies will be perfect companions for A Man Called Otto.

‘Grumpy Old Men’ (1993)

Screen legends Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau joined forces for the 1993 comedy Grumpy Old Men. The plot follows two cranky neighbors with a years-long rivalry, whose already confrontational relationship further complicates by the arrival of a new and beautiful neighbor, played by Ann-Margret.

Elevated by Lemmon and Matthau’s screen charm, Grumpy Old Men is a funny look at adult friendships. The bickering between both actors is the film’s bread and butter, creating an often cruel but always entertaining dynamic. Grumpy Old Men might not reinvent the comedy genre, but it offers plenty of laughs and a surprisingly sweet take on male friendships.

‘Chocolat’ (2000)

Juliette Binoche stars in the 2000 romantic comedy-drama Chocolat. The film centers on Vianne, who arrives with her six-year-old daughter at a small French village, where she opens a chocolaterie. Soon, her delicious creations begin a tidal wave of change for the village’s inhabitants, including Armande, Vianne’s lonely and embittered landlady.

Judi Dench received her third Oscar nomination for her performance as Armande. Her relationship with Binoche’s Vianne is one of the film’s highlights, largely thanks to the funny and tender back-and-forth between the two seasoned professionals.

‘The Lady In The Van’ (2015)

Maggie Smith has made a career of playing haughty English women. The two-time Oscar winner continued this trend well into the new millennium, although she often took on quirkier characters. The Lady in the Van is an excellent example, finding Smith at her most eccentric. The beloved actress plays Mary Sheperd, a woman who spends fifteen years living in a dilapidated van parked on a man’s driveway.

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Based on a true story, The Lady in the Van is a sweet and heartwarming comedy. Smith is having the time of her life playing the endearing Mary, while Alex Jennings makes for a perfect straight man to her antics. The Lady in the Van might be overly sweet at times, but Smith and Jennings’ dynamic makes the film worth watching.

‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ (2011)

Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, queens of the unexpected friendship genre, star in 2011’s sleeper hit The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Joined by Penelope Wilton, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson and Dev Patel, the veteran actresses play English retirees who travel to India to stay at a retirement hotel run by an overly eager young man.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is charming to a fault, offering a refreshing take on how someone can and should spend their golden years. The contrast between Patel’s shameless enthusiasm and the English’s more stoic demeanors make for a delightful dynamic that separates The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel from other similar stories.

‘The Intouchables’ (2011)

One of the essential French films everyone should watch, The Intouchables is a staple of the buddy comedy genre. The film stars Omar Sy and François Cluzet and follows the blossoming friendship between a Parisian aristocrat with paraplegia and his live-in caretaker.

The Intouchables portrays the central relationship with nuance, even if it avoids dealing with the more delicate aspects of the dynamic. Still, the film is a triumphant portrayal of friendship born out of the most unconventional circumstances and provides a brilliant showcase for Cluzet and Sy’s considerable talents.

‘Uptown Girls’ (2002)

The late Brittany Murphy and a then-nine-year-old Dakota Fanning star in the 2003 comedy Uptown Girls. The story centers on Molly, the orphaned daughter of a rock star who loses her wealth after getting scammed by her manager. Forced to take a job as the nanny of an overly-serious young girl, the two form an unlikely bond.

Uptown Girls might seem conventional and dumb, but there’s a surprising brilliance to the film’s simplicity. Thanks to Murphy and Fanning’s dynamic, the film is a fun subversion of the unlikely friendship genre, casting the adult as the carefree and immature contrast to a stoic and emotionally unavailable child.

‘Victoria & Abdul’ (2017)

Victoria & Abdul stars Judi Dench as Queen Victoria and Ali Fazal as her loyal Indian Muslim servant, Abdul Karim. The film explores their unexpected bond at a time when she questions her position and finds herself lonely and bored with her usual companions.

Thanks to Dench and Fazal’s warm dynamic, Victoria & Abdul is the rare biopic that reveals something new about its real-life subject. It might not be one of the best biopics of the 21st century, but it’s a sweet and insightful look at the life of an English monarch who many consider transparent.

‘About Schmidt’ (2002)

Jack Nicholson delivers one of the best performances of his impressive career in Academy Award-nominee Alexander Payne‘s 2002 comedy-drama About Schmidt. The film tells the story of Warren Schmidt, a man suffering from an existential crisis following the death of his wife.

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About Schmidt is a thoughtful look into late-life frustration and the tragedy of a seemingly purposeless life. Powered by Nicholson’s tour-de-force performance, the film presents a deeply moving portrayal of a man wanting to find meaning after living a life many, including himself, might find inconsequential. Few films can get under a person’s feelings as effectively as About Schmidt.

‘Nebraska’ (2013)

Alexander Payne wrote and directed 2013’s black comedy Nebraska, one of the 21st century’s great black-and-white movies. The film stars Bruce Dern and Will Arnett as a father and son who take a road trip to claim a million-dollar sweepstakes prize.

Dern received his first Oscar nomination in thirty-five years for his performance as a stubborn and bad-tempered man obsessed with claiming his prize. Nebraska is a beautiful and heartfelt exploration of the generational divide and the often contentious relationship between absent parents and grown-up sons. Featuring excellent performances from Dern and the scene-stealing June Squibb, Nebraska is a modern classic.

‘Up’ (2009)

Pixar is famous for its thoughtful and emotional films, which explore nearly every aspect of human nature. 2009’s Up is a wonderful example of the heights animation can achieve. The plot centers on Carl Fredricksen, a bitter man who ties thousands of balloons to his house, attempting to take it to the South American wilderness and fulfill a promise to his late wife.

Up is among Pixar’s most affecting and bittersweet films. The central friendship between Carl and nine-year-old Russell is richly presented and developed, presenting an unlikely but ultimately rewarding bond between two lonely souls who find solace in each other.

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