The Movie That Inspired One of Tom Hanks’ Most Slept on Films Just Landed on Netflix

Tom Hanks is one of the most beloved and iconic actors in Hollywood, and he has a roster of more than 80 movie credits and two Academy Awards to prove it. Ever since getting his big break in the ‘80s with Splash, Hanks has maintained a major presence on the big screen in movies from Forrest Gump to the Toy Story franchise. While the actor has many notable hits, he also has a few movies that have flown under the radar, including an overlooked 2020s movie, and Netflix subscribers can now stream the movie that inspired it.

In 2022, Hanks delivered one of his best performances yet as a depressed, rigid widower whose world is turned upside down when a lively family moves in next door in Marc Forster’s comedy-drama A Man Called Otto. Netflix subscribers unfortunately can’t stream that movie at the moment, but they can watch the film that inspired it, A Man Called Ove. The Swedish comedy-drama, directed by Hannes Holm and based on Fredrik Backman’s 2012 novel of the same name, joined Netflix on March 6th. The movie stars Rolf Lassgård in the title role, an angry, isolated retiree grieving his late wife who develops an unexpected friendship with the boisterous young family next door.

A Man Called Ove Is a Top-Tier Tragicomedy

Play video

A Man Called Ove is the type of movie that will have you laughing one moment and crying the next. The movie is a powerhouse full spectrum of emotion as it takes viewers on a deeply emotional, heartwarming journey filled with profound sadness—specifically regarding loss and suicide—and humor. Rolf Lassgård delivers an exceptional performance as Ove, bringing depth and emotional range to a character navigating grief and isolation and struggling to find purpose after his wife’s death, and the movie proves to be a feel-good as viewers watch as Ove learns to embrace life again through unexpected friendships and community.

Read Next

Tom Hanks To Play Former U.S. President in Adaptation of a 10/10 Book (& We Can’t Believe It Took This Long)

A Man Called Ove picked up nominations for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 89th Academy Awards and holds some pretty impressive ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, including a “Certified Fresh” 91% critic score. For comparison, the American remake holds a 70% critic score but a near-perfect and “Verified Hot” 97% audience rating. The movie did a great job at delivering the same perfect balance of humor and emotional depth as the original, and Hanks delivered what is undoubtedly one of his best performances yet. That movie is available to stream on Hulu and HBO Max.

What’s New on Netflix?

A Man Called Ove is the latest addition to Netflix’s streaming library this month. The streamer has already added dozens of titles throughout March, giving subscribers the chance to stream movies such as Deepwater Horizon, The Lego Movie, Zombieland, and the first three Jurassic World movies. Later this month, the platform will add Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (March 7th), Nobody 2 (March 14th), and nearly the entire Saw franchise (March 19th).

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!