Phil Foster

Panning a Tom Hanks movie is like kicking a kitten. People don't like it. Fortunately, it's a rare thing because of his talent and choice of roles. Sorry, but I didn't care for this movie at all. Tom Hanks' perpetual scowl is tiring. Clint Eastwood managed to make his Gran Torino curmudgeon endearing from the start. Otto's gloomy grouching is mildly amusing for the first 30 minutes or so but becomes a chore to watch because it's unrelieved for the entire film. He never smiles. His repeated attempts to end his life are darkly comical because they're inept. By the time he went for the hat trick, I was indifferent. The backstory explaining his misanthropy is too slowly revealed and seems trite. The multicultural caste and situations (couldn't miss the chance to thump the transgender tub), seem contrived. Overall, it was just too dark. The claustrophobic setting of the past-prime development didn't help. 'Radio Flyer' was the only other dismal Tom Hanks film I recall. This one is only marginally better.