A Man Called Otto (2022)

Starring: Schmagel, Bacon

Directed by: Marc Forster

This review contains a mild Kitty Carnage Warning!

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: Based on the book A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. Otto (Tom Hanks) is a lonely widower who believes he no longer has anything to live for until he is constantly interrupted in his suicide attempts by his new neighbor Marisol (Mariana Treviño).

Featured Feline: As in the original novel and film, a stray longhair tabby cat hangs around the housing development where Otto lives and where every day he does his “rounds”.

A Man Called Otto - scraggly longhair tabby cat Schmagel sitting outside garage

Otto often pauses to talk to the cat, either telling him to scat or asking what he wants.

It isn’t until he catches dog owner Barb (Kailey Hyman) chucking rocks at the cat that he stands up for the stray, threatening to drop kick Barb’s dog over the roof if he catches her doing it again. Otto then tells the cat to get out of there while he can, adding, “I’m not your friend.”

A Man Called Otto - scraggly longhair tabby cat Schmagel sitting on porch

After loaning Marisol and her husband Tommy (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) a ladder, Otto realizes the cat is underneath the car in his garage. He tries to shoo the cat away by sweeping his leg under the car but the cat latches onto his pants leg and is pulled around after him. The cat finally lets go and saunters away.

A Man Called Otto - scraggly longhair tabby cat Schmagel hanging onto pants leg

A Man Called Otto - Tom Hanks with shaggy longhair tabby cat Schmagel hanging onto his pants leg animated gif

Mild Kitty Carnage Warning! After winter settles in, Marisol walks outside and finds the poor cat frozen in the snow. She tries to get Otto to help her but he is reluctant.

A Man Called Otto - fake scraggly longhair tabby cat frozen in snow

Neighbor Jimmy (Cameron Britton) happens by and joins Marisol in her concern for the cat. Jimmy picks up the cat and they enter Otto’s home in the hopes of warming up the poor frozen kitty. When Otto won’t let them touch his wife’s old coats, Jimmy wraps the cat in his own jacket to keep him warm.

A Man Called Otto - Marisol Mariana Treviño and Jimmy Cameron Britton with scraggly longhair tabby cat Schmagel

It’s then that Jimmy explains to Marisol that Otto’s wife has passed away. They leave and Jimmy takes the cat with him.

A Man Called Otto - Otto Tom Hanks and Jimmy Cameron Britton with scraggly longhair tabby cat Schmagel

Kitty Cameo: In a flashback scene Otto sees his wife Sonya (Rachel Keller) when she was younger holding a shorthair tabby cat named Ernest.

A Man Called Otto - Sonya Rachel Keller holding tabby cat Ernest Bacon

Marisol’s daughter Abbie draws a picture of Otto with her family and includes the cat.

A Man Called Otto - child's drawing of Otto and Marisol's family including cat

Jimmy brings the cat back in a cardboard box and shows a terrible rash on his neck, explaining he forgot he was allergic. So Otto ends up with possession of the cat.

A Man Called Otto - Jimmy Cameron Britton with scraggly longhair tabby cat Schmagel in box

Otto tells the cat to get into the box which he does willingly.

A Man Called Otto - longhair tabby cat Schmagel

A Man Called Otto - Tom Hanks motioning for longhair tabby cat Schmagel to jump into cardboard box animated gif

Otto takes the cat to the cemetery in the box to visit Sonya.

A Man Called Otto - longhair tabby cat Schmagel peeking through hole in cardboard box

A Man Called Otto - Tom Hanks looking down at longhair tabby cat Schmagel peeking through hole in cardboard box animated gif

By the end of the visit the cat is sitting on his lap.

A Man Called Otto - Otto Tom Hanks sitting on chair in cemetery with longhair tabby cat Schmagel on lap

Back at home the cat makes himself comfortable on Otto’s bed. Otto insists the cat will sleep on a towel on the floor.

A Man Called Otto - longhair tabby cat Schmagel on bed

A Man Called Otto - longhair tabby cat Schmagel sitting on towel on floor

But of course the cat settles for Sonya’s side of the bed. And Otto wakes up with the cat sleeping beside him.

A Man Called Otto - Otto Tom Hanks lying in bed with longhair tabby cat Schmagel

The cat is present throughout much of the rest of the film, even the pivotal outside scene in which everyone works together to help keep Otto’s longtime friends Anita (Juanita Jennings) and Reuben (Peter Lawson Jones) from being evicted.

A Man Called Otto - Otto Tom Hanks sitting on porch holding longhair tabby cat Schmagel on lap

A Man Called Otto - Otto Tom Hanks carrying longhair tabby cat Schmagel away from group

The cat continues to be a presence in Otto’s life, even going to the cemetery with him and Marisol’s family and riding in Otto’s new truck. And is the cat is there with him until the end.

A Man Called Otto - Otto Tom Hanks with Marisol and longhair tabby cat Schmagel in truck

Behind the Scenes

The animal coordinator on the film was Dawn Barkan with Britanny Long acting as Animal Trainer and Tina Salaks doing the Animal Monitoring.

In an interview with WNEP news out of Pennsylvania, Brittany Hufnagle Long, a Catawissa native and owner of Hill Crest Canine Country Club explained how she rescued two kittens outside of a Sheetz convenience store and named the male Schmagel E. Bagel and his sister Schmiscuit. After being approached at a dog show by an animal acting agent, Schmagel got his break in show business, appearing on television (in the series American Horror Story for one). You can view the entire interview by clicking here.

It’s also interesting to note that Brittany trained all of the animals in the film, including Prince the Papillon (played by Ritz) and Ernest the tabby cat (played by Bacon). According to Long, Tom Hanks took the time to actually get to know his feline co-star and their chemistry on screen is apparent. As is common in these roles, Schmagel had his sister Schmiscuit standing by to act as a double but apparently Schamgel was so good she wasn’t needed.

A Man Called Otto - shorthair tabby cat Bacon and longhair tabby cat Schmagel on table — **Bacon and **Schmagel E. Bagel** in their trailer on the set of the film.**

Schmagel even attened the premiere of the film with Britanny and met the paparazzi in the arms of Tom Hanks. You can follow Schmagel on Facebook.

A mix of live action shooting, CGI and stuffed cats were combined to create the scenes involving the cat. Egg yolks were used to make Schmagel’s fur appear matted for the early scenes. The frozen cat was obviously (and thankfully) not real. On cold days when the cat did not want to work outside green screen days were scheduled to film the cat who was later placed into the scenes. And the notable moment when the cat refuses to let go of Otto’s leg? A cylindrical plushie was used in place of the cat who was later superimposed into the shot.

A Man Called Otto - before and after shot of Tom Hanks' leg with cushion and then longhair tabby cat Schmagel computer effects

At first the special effects computer team were not thrilled with the idea of casting a longhair cat, since it would entail more work for them, but director Marc Forster was taken with how beautiful Schmagel was and the cat actor ended up working well with Tom, so it was meant to be. Despite any obstables, the FX team did an excellent job of seamlessly incorporating the CGI shots into the film.

The cat character was so popular they even ended up working him into more scenes than originally planned, such as riding in the truck. He was also featured in many publicity stills and posters for the film, as well as the movie’s trailer.