Movie Review: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is a new film co-produced by Warner Bros. & Paramount Pictures, directed by multi-award winning director Stephen Daldry & based on a book by Jonathan Safran Foer by the same name. The story revolves around an intellectual but rather sensitive nine-year-old boy by the name of Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn) who, after losing his father (Tom Hanks) during the attacks of 9/11, goes on an adventure across New York to find the significance of a key he found in a blue vase inside his father’s closet.

When you tag a name like Stephen Daldry to a film, you cannot help but expect something amazing to be unleashed in the form of picture and sound. With this film, that expectation is definitely met.  What Daldry has created is an experience that hits you emotionally on every level. Daldry uses a good balance of different elements with the most significant being the references to the 9/11 tragedy. A sensitive topic for many people, the tragedy itself is an important part of building Oskar’s character.

Oskar, a young boy always curious about the significance of life’s many elements, is shown to have a strong relationship with his father, which is truly showcased after his fathers passing. Just ask yourself: What would the feeling be if you lost a loved one? This pain is visual and evident in every moment in the film. Keeping pain within oneself is difficult as is but seeing a young boy do that is something that just moves you emotionally. This emotional rollercoaster is coupled with one factor that stands out the most: Oskar’s maturity. For a 9 year old boy, the level of maturity rivals full-grown adults, something you wouldn’t have expected.

This film brings together a truly magnificent cast. The father-son relationship is exceptionally built by Tom Hanks’ brilliance, showcasing a father who truly understands his son in every dimension, looking past complexities that Oskar has. Sandra Bullock’s performance as Oskar’s mother is absolutely amazing. She creates a character that viewers can personally related to: the always-worried mother who will do anything to understand & support her children. Oskar’s interactions between his father and mother would just not have been effective without the sheer brilliance that Hanks & Bullock brought to their respective roles. In addition, the supporting roles of The Renter, Oskar’s Grandmother & William Black portrayed by Max von Sydow, Zoe Caldwell & Jeffrey Wright respectively add an element of supportiveness that helps Oskar stay on his journey & reach his goal. Without them, the story would really be incomplete and the performances give by von Sydow, Caldwell & Wright are absolutely brilliant.

However, whatever said, the star of this film is Thomas Horn. The way he portrays Oskar is mindboggling. The emotion, the pain, the moments of uncontrollable anger, the interactions with the people he meets on his journey & facial expressions, are all in a league of their own. Horn goes above and beyond in every moment of the film to make that moment phenomenal. He has showcased maturity in this role unlike any other actor his age.

Daldry has created yet another masterpiece that showcases the value of relationships, the heavy burden of loss & internal pain, and the true power of discovery. For those that do decide to watch this film, a few points to note. This film is not one that provides results immediately. It is made to make you think & feel and with patience, the film is truly rewarding. Additionally, this film does contain very sensitive subject matter with the 9/11 tragedy being the most sensitive. Though the majority of the content related to the tragedy are responsibly inserted into the film, there are moments that are truly quite emotional. If you have been affected by the tragedy or feel uncomfortable viewing anything related to it, I would not recommend watching this film.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close will have a limited release on December 25th 2011 across Canada & the U.S. with a wider release beginning January 20th 2012.