If you saw previews for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, you probably caught on that the film is about 9/11. And depending on the personal feelings surrounding the topic, this is either going to be heartbreaking or heartwarming.
Unlike the films released shortly after 9/11, this film is not a ‘hero' piece. There was a time for the in-your-face retelling of the event like we saw in United 93 and World Trade Center.
However, it would appear we have passed that time and moved on to something much different. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a whole other monster. It takes our eyes off the buildings themselves and makes us look at what was inside.
Based on a book of the same name, Extremely Loud is the story of Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn) who lost his dad (Tom Hanks) in the World Trade Center on 9/11. A year after the attacks, Oskar ventures into his dad's closet to snoop around for memories of his father. In the process, Oskar knocks over a vase that breaks to reveal a small envelope. In the envelope is a key. In an attempt to stay connected to his father for as long as possible, Oskar sets out on a search all over New York to find the lock that the key fits.
This isn't easy for him. Oskar doesn't like talking to people he doesn't know, he also doesn't like bridges, planes, ringing sounds, public transportation and a variety of other everyday things. He feels ‘panicky' quite often and is socially awkward. Through a series of flashbacks, we find that Oskar's dad was the one who helped him overcome these fears. Now, he has to do it by himself.
He meets some interesting characters on his journey, but home is where the real drama lies. Oskar keeps secrets (and some distressed voice messages from his dad) from his mother (Sandra Bullock), and they don't have a sound relationship; not like Oskar and his father.
As usual, Sandra Bullock and Tom Hanks are wonderful. They both play the tragedy and comedy of the story perfectly because, well, they're pros; and the supporting cast is phenomenal as well with names like Viola Davis and Jeffrey Wright in the mix. A special mention has to go to Max von Sydow as well, who had absolutely no spoken dialogue in the story, but packed an emotional punch regarless.
Thomas Horn is a newcomer to film and, in fact, we may never see him again. He was a winner on Jeopardy's Kids Week, where director Stephen Daldry noticed him. In an interview, Sandra Bullock told audiences that he has so many other plans that he doesn't want to get into Hollywood stuff. Smart kid, no wonder he was on Jeopardy.
If you are crying just from thinking about how sad this movie is, good luck to you. But don't go into the theater thinking this is a slow and sad story. There is a lot of humor mixed with the tears. The story is by no means slow, either. Oskar does quite a bit of running to get anywhere he needs to go, and the audience is left breathless trying to keep up with how swiftly he thinks, acts and talks. Pair this with quick, blunt cuts and you will be glued to the screen so you don't miss anything important.
The whole movie isn't one big montage, though. When the story needs to labor deliberately, so will the camera. And when that happens, you're going to need some tissues.
As far as tear-jerkers go, this is one of the best. Unlike many other sad films, the purpose is not to make you cry. You won't leave the theater feeling unhappy; more like relieved and satisfied.
Verdict: A
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