"Man Called Otto" is Oscar-bait at its worst

Formulas matter, but screenplays need something extra to make them magical. The classic quote, “I’ll have what she’s having,” from “When Harry Met Sally” jumps to mind.

Tom Hanks’ “Otto” offers little fresh or rewarding. It’s a curdled lineup of tropes begging us to like them. The Oscar winner allows himself to be nasty at times, a welcome change from his standard screen image.

What’s missing is a story that has even a mild relationship with reality.

[Sounds bad, but “Shape of Water” was Oscar-bait at its worst, even more so than “American Beauty.” A cranky Hanks can’t possibly be as bad as “Shape of Water.” — Ed]