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A14 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 6 January 2023
A grumpy Tom Hanks stars in ‘A Man Called Otto’

By JAKE COYLE ita Jennings), a friendly ex-
AP Film Writer erciser (a delightful Cam-
Sentimental tales about eron Britton), a transgender
grumpy old men and Amer- paper deliverer and for-
ican decline have, until re- mer student of Otto’s wife
cently, typically been the (Mack Bayda). Most of all
domain of Clint Eastwood. there is Marisol (a terrific
But in “A Man Called Otto,” Mariana Treviño), a preg-
Marc Forster’s adaptation nant mother of two has just
of Fredrik Backman’s best- moved in with her husband
seller and a remake of the (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo).
2016 Swedish film “A Man Various needs a stray
Called Ove,” it’s Tom Hanks cat, a borrowed ladder,
prowling the neighborhood driving lessons intrude on
and irritably grumbling Otto’s desires for a peace-
about how things used ful death and, in between
to be. In the original, Rolf aborted suicide attempts,
Lassgård richly inhabited gradually rekindle his will
the role of Ove, a curmud- to live. It’s sometimes too
geonly widower — a Forrest broadly drawn. Mike Birbi-
Grump —whose suicide at- glia plays a predatory real
tempts are foiled by needy estate agent from a com-
neighbors and, ultimately, pany not-so-subtly called
his grudging, sincere devo- This image released by Sony Pictures shows Tom Hanks in a scene from “A Man Called Otto.” Dye & Merica. (“Sounds
tion to them. Associated Press like Dying America, which it
Exasperation, whether di- always entirely successfully, makes its way through Ot- tisk-tisks any rule breakers, is,” says Otto.) But “A Man
rected at a crying ball- caters to his strengths while to’s life, cutting between re-sorts misplaced recy- Called Otto” is less after
player or a slobbering tweaking his familiar screen his present-day squabbles cling and berates drivers realism than it is a modern-
canine, has always been presence. and flashbacks of happier who violate the street’s day fable, with shades of
squarely in Hanks’ wheel- It also may rob “A Man times with his wife, Sonya regulation against through Scrooge and the Grinch.
house. But despondency Called Otto,” which opens (Rachel Keller), Hanks mov- traffic. As a tale of a solitary man,
or even plain get-off-my- with Otto buying rope to ingly tailors the role to him- Screenwriter David Magee Hanks has made it a poi-
lawn orneriness are less hang himself with, of some self. How “A Man Called (“Life of Pi,” “Finding Nev- gnant work of family. Rita
obvious traits possessed by of its spirit. Otto” unfolds won’t surprise erland”) hues closely to the Wilson, his wife, is a produc-
the actor sometimes called We know there are dark anyone, but it does the Swedish film as a kind of er and is heard singing a
“America’s Dad.” Following roads that Hanks just isn’t trick for a little post-holidays parable of community. Up song in the film. The young-
Hanks’ villainous turn as Col. going to go down, and heart-warming. and down the street are all er Otto is played in flash-
Tom Parker in “Elvis,” the some of the early, more “A Man Called Otto” is set the people the freshly re- backs by their son, Truman
66-year-old has found in “A caustic scenes of Forster’s in the prefab row-house tired Otto barely tolerates: Hanks. Even Chet Hanks’
Man Called Otto” another film strike a false note. But development Otto has long friends-turned-enemies “White Boy Summer” blares
role that interestingly, if not as “A Man Called Otto” lived in, where he tirelessly (Peter Lawson Jones, Juan- from a car radio. q

Justice Jackson working on a memoir, titled ‘Lovely One’

BY HILLEL ITALIE rise through the ranks of the of a high-profile career with Onyika Brown. The book’s ity of achieving them.”
AP National Writer legal profession, especially the private needs of my title comes from the Eng- “Lovely One” is Jackson’s
NEW YORK (AP) — Supreme as a woman of color with loved ones.” lish translation of Ketanji first book, but not the first
Court Justice Ketanji Brown an unusual name and as a No release date has been Onyika, the name suggest- by a current member of the
Jackson is working on a mother and a wife striving set for “Lovely One.” Jack- ed by an aunt who at the Supreme Court. Justices
memoir. Jackson, the first to reconcile the demands son, 52, was born Ketanji time was a Peace Corps Neil Gorsuch and Sonia So-
Black woman appointed worker in West Africa. tomayor are among those
to the court, is calling the Jackson joined the court who have released books
book “Lovely One.” last year after President Joe in recent years. Justice Amy
“Mine has been an unlikely Biden named her to suc- Coney Barrett has a deal
journey,” Jackson said in a ceed the retiring Stephen with the Penguin Random
statement released Thurs- Breyer. She had previously House imprint Sentinel.
day by Random House. been a judge on the U.S. Financial terms for “Lovely
“But the path was paved Court of Appeals for the One” were not disclosed,
by courageous women District of Columbia Circuit. although interest in her
and men in whose foot- “My hope is that the fullness makes it likely her advance
steps I placed my own, of my journey as a daugh- is at least comparable to
road warriors like my own ter, sister, wife, mother, the 7-figure deals negotiat-
parents, and also luminar- litigator, and friend will ed in the past for memoirs
ies in the law, whose bril- stand as a testament for by Sotomayor and Justice
liance and fortitude lit my young women, people of Clarence Thomas.
way. This memoir marries color, and dreamers ev- In announcing Jackson’s
the public record of my life Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, who is a U.S. Circuit Judge on the erywhere,” Jackson add- book, Random House
with what is less known. It U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, poses ed, “especially those who called it a story she tells
will be a transparent ac- for a portrait, Feb., 18, 2022, at the court in Washington. nourish outsized ambitions with “refreshing honesty,
counting of what it takes to Associated Press and believe in the possibil- lively wit, and warmth.”q