Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Review

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is one of those movies that are worth seeing but I would never choose to see twice. Based on the best-selling novel by Jonathon Saran Foer, the movie is centered on 9-year-old Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn) whose father died in the World Trade Center on 9/11. The movie falls short in comparison to director Stephen Daldry’s last film, The Reader, but succeeds in telling the story of 9/11 from a unique point of view.  

Oskar is a socially awkward boy of extraordinary intelligence who is trying to find some closure after losing his father on what he calls “the worst day.” His father (Tom Hanks), who is revealed in flashbacks throughout the movie had a special connection with Oskar and understood the workings of the boy’s mind. He sent him on a quest to find New York’s sixth borough in an effort to help him overcome his many fears and phobias. A year after 9/11, Oskar, distant from his still-grieving mother (played perfectly by Sandra Bullock), feels like he is losing his father’s memory until goes into his closet and stumbles upon a key with the word “Black” written on it. Oskar concludes that his father left the key for him as his final quest and becomes determined to find its lock in the hopes that he will feel connected to his dad again.

The movie follows this young boy’s pursuit throughout the city to find the lock to his mystery key. He visits every person with the last name Black, telling them his story and seeing if the key fits. Oskar picks up a companion along the way who goes by the name, The Renter. He is a mute old man who as we come to find out has a special connection with the boy.

The story appears intriguing on the surface but in actuality it fails to connect to the viewer and is masked by the obvious emotion of its subject matter. With Oskar narrating throughout the movie, it is difficult to become involved at first but the determination and desperation of the boy draws you in. You want all the searching to lead to something exciting and fulfilling but the quest turns out to be a let down.

 Some of the characters seem to be a bit overdone and the director tries too hard to play on the audiences’ emotions, such as when the audience is forced to repeatedly hear the desperate phone messages Oskar’s father left on the machine before he died. However the acting throughout the movie is very good. Sandra Bullock does an excellent job of making us feel the tragedy of 9/11 as if it were yesterday and she is very believable as a grieving widow, trying to be a good mother to her troubled son. Seeing that this was Thomas Horn’s first movie and first real acting experience, he does a very impressive job. However the peculiarity and social awkwardness of his character is overdone to the point where he seems creepy and obnoxious.

Although the majority of the movie feels forced and emotionally overdone, it is still a good story about a grieving family, coping in a unique way. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a movie worth seeing once, as it gives an interesting take on a tragedy that is close to everyone’s heart.