Words Lee Curtis

From Forrest Gump to Mister Rogers, Tom Hanks has stolen hearts so many times that he’s left audiences believing he himself would make a dream neighbour. But, not Otto – he’s a nightmare.

The nicest man in Hollywood turns type to star as a miserable and curmudgeonly old man who greets you with little more than a grunt, argues with anyone over every little thing, and holds general loathing for people and their pets.

But there’s good reason for such a mean spirit: he’s lonely.

Otto has recently lost his wife and spends his days taking his anger out on his local community.

But when impossibly cheery new neighbours move in next door, Otto’s world is turned upside down. Believing she can warm even the coldest of hearts, relentlessly jubilant mother of two Marisol refuses his rejection and her persistence leads to the unlikeliest of friendships. After reluctantly accepting her request to help with her children, Otto’s barriers begin to come down as he rediscovers a love for life.

Finding Neverland and Christopher Robin director Marc Forster heads the new adaptation of the New York Times bestseller and collaborates again with Finding Neverland screenwriter David Magee, who also penned Life Of Pi and Mary Poppins Returns, to capture the heart and humour of a feel-good story that’s sure to brighten anyone’s day with its sweet reminder that reaching out rather than pushing people away is the key to happiness.

T.Hanks For The Memories

Before we meet Otto, we look at our favourite Tom Hanks’ characters we’re pleased we’ve got a friend in.

Sleepless In Seattle

Perfectly matched with Meg Ryan, Hanks charms in a quintessential romcom that sees a recently-widowed single father travel across America to start a new life for himself and his eight-year-old son.

Forrest Gump

Hanks’ heartwarming hero is the perfect companion on a sweet, endlessly quotable ride through the biggest events of the twentieth century as seen through the eyes of the kindest, most innocent man who ever lived.

The Terminal

In Steven Spielberg’s feel-good fish-out-of-water comedy-drama, Hanks is the man we’d all wish to meet: Viktor Navorski, a tourist trapped in New York City’s JFK Airport who changes lives with his relentless optimism.