A Man Called Otto

Note: This post contains spoilers so close this tab right now if you don’t want to read before watching the movie.

So, you are okay with the spoilers?

Okay fine, here we go.

It is a beautiful movie.

I loved how Marisol continued to show love to the old man Otto even though he kept pushing her away, even though he was arrogant and rude to her. Yet, she saw what he really was underneath — a good man who was hurting, in pain over his lost love, and going through grief without thinking about others who needed him as much as he needed them.

Eventually he comes around, realises his mistake, and decides to live his life.

I like the love between Marisol and Otto, they were not related, came from different countries and cultures, yet their love was pure. Marisol truly cared for Otto, making him delicious food every once in a while and saving him from himself. She gave him a reason to live and shared her family and moments with him.

In the end, when she notices something is wrong with Otto because he hasn’t shovelled his wall, she rushes to check immediately. That is what is know as unconditional love, a rare thing in the real world. They were not related, she didn’t do all that hoping she would get his money one day. Marisol wanted to be a loving neighbour, and that’s all she was.

Otto says he never had anything going in his life before he met his love Sonya, and never wanted anything after she was gone. It is a beautiful love story. He wanted to take his life because he never wanted to outlive his love Sonya.

But then he decides to live and eventually has all the love he needed from different people like Reuban, Anita, Marisol, Tommy, their children, the cat, Malcom, etc., helping him move on with life.

When Otto found out that his old pal Reuben and his wife Anita were suffering from illness, he decides to make things right and apologises to them. He fixes their problem and helps them save their property, which was about be taken by the evil real estate company. He did all that for love, for friendship, without expecting anything in return.

In the end, after Otto dies, Marisol reads his letter, which says Otto has left everything he owned to Marisol, his bank balance, car, house - even though she never asked for any of that. In the note, Otto asked her to never let anyone drive his car, not even her husband Tommy. She is seen nodding no to Tommy when he tries to get behind the wheel. Otto trusted Marisol, and she remained true to that.

Otto considered everyone a stupid, but not Marisol, because she cared and loved him, and he loved her too.

They were not related by blood, culture, nationality or any of that. They never cared about the money, and they were never competing with each other. They all were like one big, beautiful family.

That’s rare and beautiful.