The movie was released in the theaters back in January and only came to Netflix in early May. Even though it has been on the steaming platform months ago, people are still talking about how heartfelt it is. If you haven't seen it, here are a couple of reasons that might convince you to.
1. Tom Hanks Played the Role Wonderfully
It's no secret that Tom Hanks' range in acting is commendable, and his performance in the movie attests to that. As a depressed aging man who just lost his wife, the actor portrayed the character in a way that made us both love him and sympathetic at the same time. Just as Forrest Gump stole our hearts, he did so again as Otto.
2. It's a Beautiful Love Story
Fans of love stories have a soft spot for old couples especially when we get a peek at their youth to recall how everything fell into place for them, which is why "The Notebook" was a hit and we all felt the grief of Carl when he lost Ellie in "Up."
In the movie, we saw a few scenes that show how the story of Otto and Sonya began, and the meet-cute encounter just made it more heartfelt. Sonya, as a down-to-earth woman, caught the eye of the shy and young Otto. We also saw their struggles and how they managed to love each other through it all.
3. It Shows That You Can Find Family in Unexpected Ways
Otto Anderson after losing his wife felt like it was the end of the world for him, especially since Sonya was his entire life. He lived alone and ultimately became bitter with the world. He slowly softened as he spent more time with the family that just moved in near his home.
As he gets closer to them, the charismatic, stubborn, and strong-willed Marisol broke down the barriers of the stoic old man who was adamant when it comes to following the rules. As the story progressed, Otto finds that you can gain a family in more ways than one.
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4. It Sheds Light on What Depression Looks Like
After losing the love of his life and being left alone in his home, Otto was understandably depressed and angry at the world. All he wanted to do was follow his wife to death so that they may be together again.
On the outside, he just looks like a nitpicky old man who just doesn't like how the world is. From the viewer's perspective, we can see how all that is not a reflection of what goes on inside a person's mind as Otto keeps all his grief to himself.
5. We Learn That a Turn For the Worst is Not the End
Seeing what happened in the life of Otto and Sonya in the middle of their story is quite tragic. Just when things were going so well for them, an accident rips their future away from them. For a lot of people, what they experienced is something that is almost impossible to recover from.
Still, the two went on with their lives. Sonya remained the down-to-earth and kind character that she has been from the start and Otto loved her just the same. The backstory plays a huge part in why we sympathize with the protagonist.
Fun fact, the man who played the younger Otto is actually Tom Hanks' son, Truman Hanks. His portrayal of the quiet kid who wanted to chase his dreams was spot on, and it was a great performance for his first time in the acting scene.
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