On the occasion of the release of the “Worst neighbor in the world”, here are five things to know about this feel good movie worn by Tom Hanks.
The Worst Neighbor in the World by Marc Forster
Starring Tom Hanks, Mariana Trevino, Rachel Keller…
What is it about ? THE WORST NEIGHBOR IN THE WORLD tells the story of Otto Anderson, an old grump who has no reason to live since the death of his wife Sonya. As he is about to finish, he is disturbed in his plans by a family, young and full of energy, who settles in the neighboring house: he then meets Marisol, gifted with a sacred sense of repartee, and understands that he has found an adversary at his height! While she pushes him to take another look at life, an improbable friendship is forged between them which completely upsets Otto’s bearings…
Truman Hanks plays Tom Hanks
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The romantic encounter between Otto and Sonya is told in flashbacks. Young Otto is played by Truman Hanks, who is none other than the son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson (who serves as producer on The Worst Neighbor in the World). Having worked in various technical positions related to photography in the past, he also played in The Mission (2021) by Paul Greengrass, a western where his father plays the hero. Rita Wilson explains:
“Marc kept telling us that in the cinema, when, in a flashback scene, the actor supposed to play the younger character does not look like the older actor, or does not behave like him, it diverts his attention from the film. He inquired about Tom’s sons, and even though Colin and Chet are actors, they are too old for the role. Truman is the only one who looks like Tom at the same age, but he is not an actor. Yet , Marc asked to meet him.”
A Swedish bestseller
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Otto Anderson’s character made an appearance in the global bestseller Old, grumpy and suicidal – Life according to Ove by Swedish writer Fredrik Backman. A huge worldwide success, the book ranked on the New York Times bestseller list for more than ten months.
In 2015, it was brought to the screen in Sweden with success: according to the Swedish Film Institute, it is the third most popular Swedish film of all time. It also picked up two 2017 Oscar nominations: Best Foreign Language Film and Best Makeup and Hairstyle.
Birth of the project
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Following the success of the book and its adaptation, Mr. Ove, producer Fredrik Wikström Nicastro quickly wanted to develop an American adaptation. When Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks found out about the original film themselves, they got in touch with Nicastro. All three then teamed up with other producers, agreeing that Hanks would play the lead role and that SF Studios (producer of the Swedish version) would help finance the project.
Off to Pittsburgh!
2023 Sony Pictures Entertainment Deutschland GmbH
For a film that places so much emphasis on good neighborliness, choosing a place for Otto to live was crucial. Production designer Barbara Ling explains: “We found a neighborhood made up of what we call semi-detached housing. These are houses or apartments in one piece, but perfectly separated.”
For the flashback scene where Otto has a crush on Sonya as she rushes to catch her train, Marc Forster was looking for a station that has lost none of its charm of yesteryear. The team found the latter a few hours from Pittsburgh, in Toledo, Ohio. Barbara Ling recalls:
“It was built in 1950 in hopes of stimulating economic activity in the area, but that didn’t happen. It looks like the station hasn’t changed at all since it was built. And it’s d “breathtakingly beautiful. Luckily, the city of Toledo has been extremely welcoming and generous with us.”