A Man Called Otto – A Feel-Good Movie That Gave Me a Bad Feeling!
Recently, I saw the 2022 movie A Man Called Otto. From my perspective, it is an excellent movie with Tom Hanks in the leading role. Not to give too much away: it’s about a widower coming to terms with his life without his wife, who had died six months earlier from cancer. I do recommend it!
It is a classic ‘feel-good movie’, as I am sure the majority of those who see it leave with a more positive attitude to their circumstances and their life, even if they are battling some really serious personal challenges. I admire the genre. I would give anything for this type of movie as opposed to the ones that aim to glorify, hate, anger, revenge and gratuitous violence.
Trans Ideology
However, A Man Called Otto sadly gave me a bad feeling along with the feel-good emotions. Subtly woven into this fictitious plot is a transgender ‘boy’ who had been taught by Otto’s wife as a ‘girl’. The movie was blatantly running the narrative of normalising the process of transgenderisation. It is not a big part of the movie, but it crops up a few times for short scenes.
I am a retired Christian school principal. The portrayal of the normalisation of transgenderisation took me back to the responsibility on the principal to navigate these situations. Thankfully, I never had to handle a trans situation myself, but I feel for those who do, increasingly often, today. I fear that if I had had to face one of these situations, I would probably have resigned, as I can’t see how I could have made the right call by all parties and my own conscience.
I am making this post, simply to call this movie out. I felt compelled to say something. If we simply leave every strategy and agenda of the evil one to be broadcast across our communities, unopposed, we are simply standing by condoning the abuse of one of God’s children, created in His image, and condoning the psychological abuse of those who now feel-good having seen the movie.
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“It is not a big part of the movie, but it crops up a few times for short scenes.”
It is important to call out these incidental instances in things like movies and show how the facts don’t match the “feel good” aspect of the movie into which it’s been subtly inserted. This is how the camel gets into the tent (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel%27s_nose).
Kim, I take your point well, I did not know about the camel’s nose until your enlightened me, thank you. I think my greatest ‘bad-feeling’ about this is that there are many instances I have not ‘called out’ and I know that calling something out is ‘so un-Australian’.
“Are we going to let the world disciple our children, or the Word of God?” Sean Feucht…
The subtleties are not subtle anymore.
Disney and Hollywood are eagerly promoting the sickness and evil designed from the enemy of humanity, satan himself.
Well said Jim.
Leonie, thank you for this. Perhaps these ‘incidents’ are still ‘subtle’ ( I think this one in the Otto film was subtle). Perhaps there are now more of us ‘looking’ out for these things without the ‘sunshades on’!
Thank you Jim.
once followed The Chosen until I saw exactly what you describe here. However in the case of this show it grew more so over a couple of episodes . I did not do what the producer asked in relation to others raising this – ie please leave your thoughts about feeling uncomfortable – in the comment section. Because it seemed pretty clear to me that in this instance what they wanted to do, was to use those comments to ADAPT in the future . Common practice these days – I simply and sadly unsubscribed .
Thank you Jim.
once followed The Chosen until I saw exactly what you describe here. However in the case of this show it grew more so over a couple of episodes . I did not do what the producer asked in relation to others raising this – ie please leave your thoughts about feeling uncomfortable – in the comment section. Because it seemed pretty clear to me that in this instance what they wanted to do, was to use those comments to ADAPT in the future . Common practice these days – I simply and sadly unsubscribed .
So true Jim… Subtle is not so subtle anymore. If the blind lead the blind, they will both fall into a pit.
The world is in a big pit. What do children know about leading themselves nerveless the world.
We are now living in a difficult time to navigate. All we can do is hold on to our convictions and model God’s way where we can.
Linda, thanks so much for this. I think that, by writing up this piece, I might encourage someone to speak up/write up something that they see or hear. The more we speak out the harder it will be for the subliminal messaging to gain traction.
You raise an import point Jim. It’s not as straightforward as you imply though. The enemy does not have access to our thoughts and I’m not sure using a highlighter is wise. Praying for wisdom for us all .
Totally Agree great movie used to promote a woke agenda
As someone who isn’t even religious, I thank you for calling this out. The unfitting insert of harmful ideology to this film, which first started by highlighting a personality which built western societies, was extra vile.
Hi,
Sorry if this bothers you, but as a young transgender person, I feel like this behavior shouldn’t be promoted. It’s harmful not only to me but to others. It’s not a bad thing to be trans, or to know a trans person. This way of thinking, treating it like it’s a disease, might even hurt those around you. Because you never know how the person next to you thinks about that. So please, don’t treat this behavior as something good if it harms other people.
The only reason why this movie is a feel good is because it promotes love and tolerance. Something Christ taught over and over again.
When you take out the trans or gay aspect you take out what actually makes for the bonding and feel good experience.
What’s even more is contrary to the bible you would judge man in the place of god. Does the bible not say to let god and god alone judge? Does it not say that Christ commanded to love thy neighbour as thyself? That and turn the other cheek were the two tenants that overwrote all others.. other passages are not direct quotes of god or Christ but were claimed inspiration of flawed men as followers of Christ.
By this logic never has Christ said to renounce someone for being gay or trans.. only formerly did god say to not have a man lie with another man as he would a woman, but that was before the two commandments of Christ overwrote all prior commandments.
This religious fallacy is only further proof that one needs to truly examine the life of Christ and follow that, and why so many fail the true test of their faith..
We must look through the lens of the Word
To counteract a bunch of heresies regarding human sexuality and God’s perspective we Aussies came up with this 225 word creed. The theological/scriptural basis of the creed is well explained in the Resources/Explanatory Guide. We must base our views on God’s word, not current social ‘norms’.
The Australian Creed for Sexual Integrity – https://australiancreed.org/
What happened to love the sinner hate the sin? This movie is about human connection! Otto loves the person because they remind him of his wife’s love. She cared for this person and Otto felt that responsibility to care for others. The movie doesn’t even indicate that Otto condones the life style. This is a perfect example of “Christian” hypocrisy.