Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2012)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Mark H

  
  Extremely Loud is a picture of undeniable heart and it honestly moved me. Oskar's hike through the streets of New York City is quite stirring. It starts out as a seed of an idea, but the concept develops into a full fledged scavenger hunt, much like the interactions he used to… More
  Extremely Loud is a picture of undeniable heart and it honestly moved me. Oskar's hike through the streets of New York City is quite stirring. It starts out as a seed of an idea, but the concept develops into a full fledged scavenger hunt, much like the interactions he used to have with his father when he was alive. It takes time, but the purpose slowly germinates until before you know it, it has developed into a quietly poignant emotional journey. His interactions form the basis of the story with actors Max von Sydow, Viola Davis and Jeffrey Wright logging the most screen time. They're interesting as well, but the biggest surprise is that Sandra Bullock provides the film's best scenes. By the end, I was overcome by emotion. There's one particular moment of such pure virtue, it made the film for me.

• Josh L

  
  I went in wanting to not like this movie after it got the Oscar nomination for best picture over some much more qualified movies were snubbed based on critic opinion alone even though I had not seen it. While I still don't think it was quite deserving, I can see why it was… More
  I went in wanting to not like this movie after it got the Oscar nomination for best picture over some much more qualified movies were snubbed based on critic opinion alone even though I had not seen it. While I still don't think it was quite deserving, I can see why it was nominated. It's a tearjerker for sure and one that feels truthful in what it is depicting on screen. The tragedy of 9/11 is seared into many peoples brains even 10+ years after the events have happened and this movie definitely shows just how hard it could hit even when it shouldn't have. The main character is certainly pretty detestable at the beginning and had me scoffing at how ridiculous he was, but he grows and matures throughout the story and by the end you feel his pain. There's some memorable characters along the way too, not the least of which is the Oscar nominated performance by Max Von Sydow.

• Jameson W

  
  One of the most interesting films of the year...

• Jason L

  
  Better than I thought it would be. I had every reason to hate it (as it stole a Best Picture nomination better suited to Drive, Harry Potter 7.2, Bridesmaids, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Warrior, or Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). It didn't deserve the nomination, but it's… More
  Better than I thought it would be. I had every reason to hate it (as it stole a Best Picture nomination better suited to Drive, Harry Potter 7.2, Bridesmaids, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Warrior, or Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). It didn't deserve the nomination, but it's a lot better than critics proclaim. An excellent debut from young genius turned actor Thomas Horn, in the best performance from a child actor I've seen this year. In general, I just thought this was a good coming-of-age story. It's about a kid who probably has Aspergers, and who has to learn how to comprehend the complexities of the world around him without the help of his father (this is shown through flashbacks later, where we see his father un-complicating everything). It's pretty touching that way, with a solid if melodramatic approach from skilled director Stephen Daldry. A touching portrait of an imporatant story with good acting across the board, even if it wasn't as good if it could've been.

• Nani V

  
  Thomas Horn plays an amazing kid who goes on a journey searching for "Black" after the death of his father, played by Tom Hanks. It was very different, but an inspiring story. I enjoyed the ending.

• Melvin W

  
  Thomas Schell: If things were easy to find, they wouldn't be worth finding.  "This is not a story about September 11th. It's about everyday after." This is a really hard movie to decide whether I liked or not. At times it was a moving and heartfelt film that… More
  Thomas Schell: If things were easy to find, they wouldn't be worth finding.  "This is not a story about September 11th. It's about everyday after." This is a really hard movie to decide whether I liked or not. At times it was a moving and heartfelt film that really had me feeling for Oskar and his mom. At other times, it was Extremely overdone and Incredibly annoying. Oskar's narration annoyed me a lot, but it wasn't all that annoyed me. There was too much that annoyed me to even talk about. But it also seems that for every detail or scene I hated, there was something that balanced it out. No matter how much you hate the movie(as a lot of people have), you can't argue that it isn't technically well made and that there aren't good performances. You could argue however that in how well made it was, there are a lot of gimmicks and the director never turns away from a potential tearjerking scene. If you have problems with movies that are overdramatic or over sentimental, you won't like this because it is both. It definitely doesn't shy away from sentimentality and tears. I just don't know how I feel about this film right now. I didn't hate it, but I couldn't, with any confidence, say I liked it either. There's definitely elements of the film that I had major problems with, but to just completely right it off like many have done; seems wrong. I believe it has its merits and that if you give it a chance it could potentially affect you. It may not be an Oscar level film, but it is an interesting film nonetheless. Had the director gone a different way with a few plot details and had he avoided all the predictable moments, this could have been one of the better films of 2011. As it stands, it is just okay.

• Alexander D

  
  The first few minutes of EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE, a title I won't dare to abbreviate because it entails grand only in its entirety, are bound to cause wonder as to why it was nominated for Best Picture, but once those first few minutes have passed, it's quite… More
  The first few minutes of EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE, a title I won't dare to abbreviate because it entails grand only in its entirety, are bound to cause wonder as to why it was nominated for Best Picture, but once those first few minutes have passed, it's quite clear: the writer, cast, and director have all taken the subject matter into their hands together and handled it very seriously as it should be. Granted, their are quite a few flaws that are almost impossible to not pick up on, such as that there is humor placed where it shouldn't be (i.e. the "lie-counting" Oskar does); Oskar goes a bit over the top with his rambling (rather than commiserating, we start to plead for the moment when he closes his mouth); and it sometimes doesn't seem all too realistic (i.e. Oskar is always skipping school without consequence or warning). Other than that, this is a nice film that should leave you thinking. (It's not every day we see a movie about a kid's experience with 9/11, is it?) READ MORE ABOUT THIS PLEASANT SURPRISE: http://themoviefreakblog.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/review-extremely-loud-incredibly-close/

• Alice S

  
  Jonathan Safran Foer's books are nigh unadaptable, or so it seems from the two forays thus far. The movie versions of both Everything Is Illuminated and EL&IC neglect the rich histories of the protagonists' ancestors which are essential to understanding the human… More
  Jonathan Safran Foer's books are nigh unadaptable, or so it seems from the two forays thus far. The movie versions of both Everything Is Illuminated and EL&IC neglect the rich histories of the protagonists' ancestors which are essential to understanding the human tapestry Foer weaves. It's really a shame because as most critics have trumpeted, EL&IC is a maudlin mess that capitalizes on tragedy whilst the book is certainly not so. There are definitely more obvious tear-jerking scenes in the movie, but perhaps my positive bias towards the book enabled me to forgive the face-value and actually be moved to some extent. Thomas Horn is precocious and alienating in a great way. His big anime eyes express a vast chasm of loss, guilt, awkwardness, and misunderstanding. His monologues detailing all the things that scare him, the eccentric habits of the people he meets, and the meticulous calculations that will bring him closer to finding the lock that fits the mysterious key are frenetic and Rain Man-esque.

• Carlos M

  
  This overly sentimental drama could have been genuinely sensitive and moving, but got mined by bad narrative choices. It is not only manipulative, given the exploitative matter, but also has an extremely obnoxious protagonist that pushes our patience to a very limit.

• Mike S

  
  Heartfelt and well-intended, if also labored and partially obnoxious. I can see why the opinions are so split when it comes to the ratings of this film. On one hand we have a poignant family drama, that draws great radiance from its wonderful actors. On the other, however, not much of… More
  Heartfelt and well-intended, if also labored and partially obnoxious. I can see why the opinions are so split when it comes to the ratings of this film. On one hand we have a poignant family drama, that draws great radiance from its wonderful actors. On the other, however, not much of what they say feels very genuine or natural, and the young boy upon which the story has its focus, does repeatedly cross over from precocious to annoying. Somewhere around the middle though, it got a lot better. Once I accepted its evident flaws, I was quite moved by the story, as main character Oskar Schell deals with the loss of his father, whom tragically lost his life during the 9/11 attacks. It's also a compelling adventure set in beautiful New York, where Oskar searches all over the city, for the lock that goes with a mysterious key left behind by his late father (played terrifically by Tom Hanks). In some scenes he comes off as a very weird and awkward kid. Like when he meets a woman who is in tears after a recent divorce, and the first thing Oskar does is asking if he can take her picture. I mean, how is that not creepy? It felt more like I was watching the humble beginnings of a future serial killer. What saves the film from pretentiousness, however, is the pathos-laden plotline, along with the superlative supporting cast including John Goodman, Sandra Bullock, Max von Sydow and, as mentioned, Tom Hanks. Sydow especially gives an extraordinary performance, even though he plays a mute old man, who never speaks a word, save through his pen and paper block. At an impressive age of 82, he's not showing any sign of fading, doing his character just as brilliantly as he would have 20 years ago. It is in regard to all this fine acting, that I quite liked the film overall. Many will call it contrived and to that I can agree, but once the mind stops judging the film and the heart takes the helm, that's when the movie shows its true colors and grips you through and through. So as long as you can overlook its weaknesses, you may be surprised to find that it's well worth the investment. Both time-wise, emotionally and in the slight thinning of the wallet.

• E.J. B

  
  Once the sentiment, the tears, and the life lessons settled in and the credits started to roll, I wasn't quite sure what to take away from Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. On 9/11, the world lost thousands of husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters. New York… More
  Once the sentiment, the tears, and the life lessons settled in and the credits started to roll, I wasn't quite sure what to take away from Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. On 9/11, the world lost thousands of husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters. New York City was forever changed. Is there really a need for a movie to reiterate common knowledge? Yet what this film attempts to do is focus on a child who has lost his father in this horrible event, and throughout the course of the narrative, this child will learn to accept death and move on. This is staple stuff for a movie that wants the audience to identify with a small story that is essentially a metaphor for a much larger tragedy. Oskar (Thomas Horn) loves is father, Thomas (Tom Hanks). Thomas frequently sends Oskar on little adventure quests that help him make sense of the world around him. Oskar suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, which causes a lot of "weird" behaviour, but in a nutshell, this disease prevents Oskar from being able to digest and understand subtle nuances in human emotional expression. He says what's on his mind and doesn't understand why that could be offensive to some people. When Thomas dies in the collapse of the World Trade Centre, Oskar can't seem to understand exactly what has really happened. Going through his father's things, he stumbles across a key in an envelope with the word "Black" written on it. Thinking that Black is the last name of some New Yorker, Oskar begins an expedition to seek out everyone living in New York City with the last name of Black. This quest, as Oskar believes, will reveal his father's last secret. There is a much better film playing about similar themes. That film is called Hugo. While the acting of both films is on par with the other, the latter film has a more honest approach. Both protagonist children are looking for meaning in their lives, a place where they can understand themselves and the people around them. The films differ in every other aspect, but thematically, the two could not be more similar. The death of a father and the child coming to terms with it is a very sad, difficult-to-digest plot. Viola Davis delivers her second performance where she's in the movie for maybe fifteen minutes, but her scenes form the backbone of the entire film. This woman deserves an Oscar because I believe that she is one of the greatest actresses of our time. Jeffrey Wright and Sandra Bullock are also excellent. Where the story stumbles is in its consistent aspiration to make its audience gush with feelings. There's nothing wrong with making a movie about a national tragedy and focusing it on a young child having to grief for his father. But Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is stuffed to the brim with contrivance and characters always crying. It may be occasionally moving, but for the most part, the film feels forced, and doesn't quite create the heartfelt experience it wants to instill in the audience.

• Pedro H

  
  <i>Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close</i> <b>Extremely good</b> When I first heard about this movie, and saw the trailer, I have to admit that I grew a sort of resentment towards it. However, taking the risk and watching has been one of the greatest choices… More
  <i>Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close</i> <b>Extremely good</b> When I first heard about this movie, and saw the trailer, I have to admit that I grew a sort of resentment towards it. However, taking the risk and watching has been one of the greatest choices I've made because I really got to see how good this movie really is. It tells the story of a problematic, kid named Oskar, who suffers from a mild autism. After his father's death in 9/11, Oskar is left hopeless as his father, whom he relied on for almost everything as they played around with expedition and discovery games, leaves him with nothing to dwell his wild mind. One day, as Oskar says it "If the sun were to blow up, we would still have light and warmth for eight minutes, I feel like my eight minutes with my dad is running out", so in order to maintain a rememberence of his father, Oskar finds a key in his fathers urn, and he things this Key was his fathers last missing quest. He decides to find the lock for this key, and searches all over new york city, this quest eventually transforms him. The story of this movie is very well centered. The idea behind it is genius, and although <b>depressing</b> at times, the bitter sweet feeling of this movie is brilliant. Don't be fooled if you think you are going to watch either Tom Hanks or Sandra Bullock, because they hardly ever appear. The real deal in this movie is this newbie Thomas Horn, who although isn't amazing he is genuine to his character. Then there is Max von Sydow, whom I think deserved the Oscars in his emotional role as The Renter, whom without saying one word creates a highly intriguing character. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, is about over coming obstacles, its about facing your fears, and discovering yourself: and as seen through the eyes of this troubled child who is Oskar, you really embark on this journey with him. This is a very emotional film, very well written, and beautifully put together by Stephen Daldry, who always knows how to create emotional films without forcing the boundaries. I definitely recommend this one guys. <u>Thomas Schell:</u> </i>"If it isn't difficult to find it is not worth finding"</i>.

• Manu G

  
  A nine-year-old amateur inventor, Francophile, and pacifist searches New York City for the lock that matches a mysterious key left behind by his father, who died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. A lilttle less then what I expected but enough to keep me happy. I… More
  A nine-year-old amateur inventor, Francophile, and pacifist searches New York City for the lock that matches a mysterious key left behind by his father, who died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. A lilttle less then what I expected but enough to keep me happy. I thought this film was very good and very original in its own way. I think the plot was interesting as any other great film ever created. Acting was excellent and the supporting cast was the 'key' here. I think it's a little tiny complicated for kids to enjoy but this film really is recommended for everyone, is really good and has 2 nominations for an Oscar including one for Best Picture. In a vase in a closet, a couple of years after his father died in 9/11, nine-year-old Oskar discovers a key... The key belonged to his father, he's sure of that. But which of New York's 162 million locks does it open? So begins a quest that takes Oskar - inventor, letter-writer and amateur detective - across New York's five boroughs and into the jumbled lives of friends, relatives and complete strangers. He gets heavy boots, he gives himself little bruises and he inches ever nearer to the heart of a family mystery that stretches back fifty years. But will it take him any closer to, or even further from, his lost father?

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"If things were easy to find, they wouldn't be worth finding."</i> A nine-year-old amateur inventor, Francophile, and pacifist searches New York City for the lock that matches a mysterious key left behind by his father, who died in the World Trade Center… More
  <i>"If things were easy to find, they wouldn't be worth finding."</i> A nine-year-old amateur inventor, Francophile, and pacifist searches New York City for the lock that matches a mysterious key left behind by his father, who died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Precocious, maddeningly inquisitive Manhattan preteen, egged on by his jeweler father/best buddy to be a reconnaissance explorer, finds himself rudderless a year after his dad's demise in the 9/11 disaster--until the accidental discovery of a single key in his father's belongings reawakens the need to explore and find answers, and to keep his father's memory alive. Handsomely-produced drama, adapted from Jonathan Safran Foer's novel by Eric Roth, unfortunately keeps nervous young Thomas Horn in a constant state of paranoia and panic. Horn's Oskar is deeply upset by his father's senseless death, yet his belligerence is alienating to the audience (grieving mom Sandra Bullock can't reach him, and neither can we). Oskar bruises his skin with pinch marks, hides under his bed, and locks himself in the bathroom--that is until Saturday, when he takes it upon himself to storm up to the doorsteps of area residents to ask questions about the curious key (and these people are shown inviting the child in, as if New York City were really just one big daisy chain of lives interlocked by a national tragedy). Horn (who resembles Elijah Wood in his youth) pulls off a handful of difficult scenes with amazing self-assurance, but his mid-movie recap of events (told at top volume via staccato flashbacks and quick cuts to Horn's panicked face) is too much to bear. After this impossible sequence, the film's momentum freezes, congealing into an off-putting boys' adventure tale, one laden with open wounds.

• Liam G

  
  ''Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close'' is a great comedy. It provides so many laugh out loud moments and not one joke falls flat. If you're looking for a great comedy in theatres right now, this is the..oh..wait...this is supposed to be a drama?… More
  ''Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close'' is a great comedy. It provides so many laugh out loud moments and not one joke falls flat. If you're looking for a great comedy in theatres right now, this is the..oh..wait...this is supposed to be a drama? Crrraaaaapppp.

• Nate Z

  
  The biggest surprise on the morning of the Academy Award nominations was the inclusion of Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close in the nine nominees for Best Picture. Critics have universally derided the 9/11 drama, becoming the lowest critically rated Best Picture nominee in the last… More
  The biggest surprise on the morning of the Academy Award nominations was the inclusion of Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close in the nine nominees for Best Picture. Critics have universally derided the 9/11 drama, becoming the lowest critically rated Best Picture nominee in the last 30 years, according to some awards pundits. The second lowest rated Best Picture nominee in that same span of time? The Reader, also directed by Stephen Daldry. Under new Academy voting rules, a nominee has to garner at least five percent of first place votes on members' ballots. That means that at least 250 Academy members voted this crass, manipulative, off-putting, wrongheaded, exploitative movie as the best film of the year, thereby voluntarily divulging they must not have seen a single other movie for 2011. Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn) was nine years old when his father, Thomas Schell (Tom Hanks), was killed on September 11, 2001. He was in one of the World Trade Center buildings and left six frantic phone messages before perishing. In the ensuing months after the disaster, Oskar is lashing out against his mother (Sandra Bullock) who spends all day in bed. Then one day he discovers a mysterious key in his father's closet inside an envelope labeled "Black." Oskar's father used to send his son on a series of adventures around New York, looking for a fabled "sixth borough," forcing Oskar to confront his numerous fears and insecurities. Oskar looks through the New York phone book and catalogs over 400 separate people with the last name of Black in the five boroughs. He's convinced that his father has left one last hidden message somewhere in the city. My main sticking point was that I found Oskar to be an insufferable, bratty, little jerk. I understand he's hurting and he's trying to work through his pain. I understand he is gripped by irrational fears and has a hard time relating to others. I understand that Oskar's father even tested him for Asperger's, though the results were negative. Some people will try and explain away Oskar's callous behavior in sweeping generalizations having to do with the ignorance of children or some undiagnosed medical problem. I've known people with Asperger's syndrome and while Oskar fits a few of the superficial tics, being a jerk is not a symptom, sorry. He's so mean to his grieving mother and indifferent about other people that I wanted to slap him. I found him to be unsympathetic and wholly irritating. I found his unsupervised journeys for cutesy quests throughout New York City to be dubious. His parents just let their ten-year-old socially awkward kid run around New York City by himself at all hours? The movie goes in a bad direction when it partners this talky nuisance up with a silent old man, played by the wonderful Max von Sydow (the movie's only other Oscar nomination; another stretch I'd say). Here's a breakdown of my thought process: Oskar comes home on 9/11 to find the last recorded messages of his father, including an admission of love for his family. Oskar runs out and buys an identical answering machine and sneakily hides the original, denying his mother, a grieving widow, the chance to hear her husband's voice one last time. Screw that kid. I'm sorry but that's what went through my mind and to me he never recovered. His actions are inexcusable. Then he gets mad because his mom sleeps all day. She's grieving you little snot! And then he has the gall to tell her, "I wish it was you instead!" It's a moment intended to draw gasps, ripping the scab clear off whatever pretensions mother and son have with one another. But it just made me dislike the kid even more. The fact that even by the film's ending emotional catharsis Oskar still hasn't shared the answering machine messages with his mother is reprehensible. The other factor that caused me to despise the main character was how Horn proves to be a dreadful actor. This is the first acting role for the former teen Jeopardy champ. He's able to spit the rapid-fire, idiosyncratic dialogue burdened with cumbersome detail. However, Horn gives a terribly mannered performance. He has this annoying manner of over enunciating every single word, getting lost in a character affectation, always stagy and artificial. You combine a bad actor with an aggravating character and make them the lead of the story, and I'm already daydreaming possible murder scenarios (I don't condone child murder mind you -- I'd make it look like an accident). As for Oskar's parents, Hanks is hardly in the movie and Bullock does shockingly well, nailing her most emotional moments. I'd rather see this movie from her point of view, trying to make sense of the insensible to her challenging son who hates her. Daldry wishes to use the backdrop of 9/11 to talk about important items. It's too bad that his movie has nothing legitimate to say about healing. I was assuming that over the course of the film Oskar was going to run into a diverse collection of people, all healing, all with their own stories of pain, and then he would learn that the real treasure was the community of strangers he had brought together. Nope! Oskar runs into a gamut of fine actors, including Viola Davis, John Goodman, and Jeffrey Wright, but they all become mere baton-passers to a self-involved kid. They and their stories don't matter. The lock to our missing key doesn't matter. There's a final revelation concerning Oskar's mother and her activities to benefit her son that seems entirely implausible. Daldry and screenwriter Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, Curious Case of Benjamin Button) have transformed Jonathan Safran Foer's novel about collective grief into a strangely myopic narrative given the scale of the suffering. The movie is so transparently manipulative, shamelessly exploiting 9/11 anxieties and trauma to tell its intolerable little quest. In no way is 9/11 meaningfully connected with the overall story of loss. Oskar's father could just have readily died in a war or had a brain aneurism. What 9/11 is used for, however, is an easy device to stir the audience's emotions. Daldry will flash back to it at seemingly random moments in the narrative, to goose the audience into feeling gloomy. I'm sure many people will sit through this movie and feel moments of genuine sadness, but that's because the filmmakers are shamelessly manipulating the raw feelings we have over a national tragedy. It's hard not to feel a lump in your throat seeing the towers smoking, frantic calls to missing or doomed loved ones, and final recordings bearing the weight of compounded dread. It's not too soon to talk about the psychic wounds of that terrible day but I strongly resent people who exploit those memories. There are moments that are so misguided and yet given the Hollywood gloss of an awards-bait picture. The very opening image is of Tom Hanks freefalling to his death. Oskar's little picture book he constructs at the end of his journey includes a final page with the World Trade Center. And there's a little slip that when pulled creates a picture of a man falling up back into the tower. What? Is that supposed to be a good thing? Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is such a misguided, crass venture that's also extremely shameless and incredibly cloying. The main character is unlikable, exasperating, and portrayed by a rather amateurish child actor. Daldry's hackneyed direction will settle on treacle and contrived sentiment whenever possible, but the emotions never feel properly earned. He's pressing buttons and forcing tears, and several viewers will be unaware of how efficiently they were manipulated into having a moving experience at the theater. I know I can't be alone is seeing through the manipulation and feeling indignant about the ordeal. I'm not against tackling the difficult subject of 9/11 in movies (I declared United 93 the best film of 2006). Here's a good question for you filmgoers out there: is there that big of a difference between this movie and 2010's unpleasant teen drama, Remember Me? Both use the 9/11 attacks to cover narrative and characterization deficiencies, vulgarly exploiting our feelings of the events to engender feeling, and both don't belong anywhere near an awards stage. Nate's Grade: C-

• Tired of P

  
  Question: Have you avoided seeing Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close because you know what it's about or the reminder it has in the story? Well, stop thinking that and go see the movie. You probably know this is a story that surrounds the aftermath of September 11th. But… More
  Question: Have you avoided seeing Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close because you know what it's about or the reminder it has in the story? Well, stop thinking that and go see the movie. You probably know this is a story that surrounds the aftermath of September 11th. But it's not how the world survives the attack but how one young boy, Oscar, deals with losing one of his parents on that day. The memory of 9/11 may make this film hard to watch - especially for us Americans or anyone connected to that day. However, I saw a deeper meaning to this film and that is why I am recommending it. Question: Do you have one person that understands you completely? No matter what you say, what you do or how you feel about things, this person gets it. They get you! It's a rare thing and if you have it - treasure it! They know exactly what to say, when to pry, when to back off, when to listen, and when to say you are being ridiculous. And you feel safe just knowing that one person is there, by your side. As a child it usually is a parent. As an adult it could be a spouse, a friend, a neighbor or anyone you instantly connect with for whatever reason. There is just something about this other person that makes you feel whole. It doesn't really matter why but a bond exists, and this bond helps people throughout their lives as they deal with things that don't make sense. (Really, does the world make sense to you? I am clueless half the time.) They help you make sense of the senselessness. And you can breathe normally even when life throws those speed-demon curveballs we all get from time to time. Question: What happens when that one person, the one you depend on the most, goes away? Or worse, they die. That is easy to answer: your world collapses. Imagine though if you are an 11 year-old boy and your father, the only person who "got" you, died on "the worst day?" (Grabs tissues) The character, Oscar, loses the one person that he loved more than anyone, the one who understood him best and he does everything in his power to stay connected with him. Oscar is different. He sees the world in his own unique way, a way his father completely supported and encouraged. He is extremely bright and fascinated with treasure hunting, of sorts, because he and his father were always working on discovering some wondrous thing or working on an adventure. In order to keep close to his father and cope with his loss he decides to form a new quest and for the rest of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close we are his companions for his adventure. Yes, the story went in and out of that tragic day; and I was a complete mess anytime a mention, thought or visual came on screen. But as I said the story is not wholly about that day. It's about dealing with the loss of the one person that made you feel special, normal and safe. Saying goodbye is hard enough but letting go and moving on is even harder. I think everyone can relate to a tale like this. Everyone! And the last part of the film really brought it altogether because we humans require that connection to be with others and to have a support system. This should make everyone want to see Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close because we can all use a guiding hand on how to cope with the senselessness of the world - especially when we are alone or feel all alone. Yes, this movie will make you cry. I sure did - a lot. However, I wish it will give you hope and an understanding that even if you had that one person who made you feel good but they are no longer here, you will survive because....well, I am not going to tell you. You'll just have to see the movie and figure that one out. Directed by Stephen Daldry, Warner Bros., 2011 Starring: Thomas Horn, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, Max von Sydow, John Goodman and Jeffrey Wright Genre: Drama My favorite part: That movies can teach me things - even how to get over a loss. My least favorite thing: It was a overly sentimental especially towards the end. Rating: PG-13 Length: 123 minutes Review: 6 out of 10

• Raymond W

  
  I'm not really sure what everyone is complaining about. In regards to the comments saying it's too heavy-handed, I think it's a pretty heavy story. For me, the direction worked well. Now, I can see why people are saying it's too manipulative or pretentious, and… More
  I'm not really sure what everyone is complaining about. In regards to the comments saying it's too heavy-handed, I think it's a pretty heavy story. For me, the direction worked well. Now, I can see why people are saying it's too manipulative or pretentious, and I agree about that to a certain extent. I don't think you can call the direction by Stephen Daldry pretentious, but if you think something about it is possible pretentious, I think that may be the story in general, and it was told how it was supposed to be told. The story or subject matter is definitely not for everyone. Jonathan Safran Foer, and Eric Roth have written about these characters and events very truthfully. The 9/11 scenes in the film are not even depicting real-life events although people probably were falling off the buildings as depicted, but in the film, those shots take place in Oskar's mind as he thinks about his father. Some people are still grieving about that event. For a lot of people, it may even still be too soon to bring up the subject so vividly. Anyways, I just think that there is some truth in what most other people say about this film, but for me, it worked brilliantly. Thomas Horn, Sandra Bullock, Zoe Caldwell, and especially Max von Sydow portrayed their characters wonderfully. Also, for those who are saying they don't know why Max von Sydow received an Oscar nomination for his role as the mute renter, I think it's pretty clear: it's such a subtle performance. We understand every emotion and every gesture even though he never says one word. That is the sign of great acting. For those criticizing Thomas Horn on being too weird, I say this: The kid most likely had mild Asperger's Syndrom and acted it out very well. The obsessive searching for the lock, his extreme boldness and shyness, his vocabulary, his actions, the way his parents were treating him, etc. His character is indeed different and unique, but he is so likeable and vulnerable that my heart just went out to him. On a whole, this film is very difficult to watch, it's emotionally draining, but worth every penny. It was for me at least. I just have to talk about the way the filmmakers portrayed all the various characters that appeared in the film. It was so authentic and so well done, that I think if everyone was not as afraid to do what Oskar did, and go out and actually socialize with the people or somehow get connected would bring communities closer together. The range of characters (those willing to help, and those unwilling), was great to see. Viola Davis was really wonderful for the few scenes she was in. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close hit me hard and close to me. I'm going to remember it for a long time.

• Jay H

  
  I'll start by saying I enjoyed this film. No, it wasn't the masterpiece it confidently made itself out to be as it coursed its way through its tale. But after much thought, I still can't tell what the film wanted itself to be. Was it a story about a grieving kid after… More
  I'll start by saying I enjoyed this film. No, it wasn't the masterpiece it confidently made itself out to be as it coursed its way through its tale. But after much thought, I still can't tell what the film wanted itself to be. Was it a story about a grieving kid after his father dies in 9/11? Or was it a story about a kid adventuring after a puzzle he believes his dead father has left him? Either idea could've been the basis for a good film on its own merits, but the film wants it both ways. Desperately trying to forge a link between the two plots, the film leaves several stones unturned, creating not one quality, well-balanced, well-crafted theme as it hoped, and creating not two quality, well-crafted themes as it also could've ended up, but two decent, unrelated stories that make Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close nothing more than moderately enjoyable. Admittedly, I found that the film did a fine job building its emotional side. If it had stuck to that particular side of the plot, it could've been worthy of its Best Picture nomination. But it didn't, sadly. It tried to throw in some other plot elements that were neither necessary nor helpful and distracted itself from realizing the ideas the film begged to realize. And because of that decision, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close falls short of the acclaim it could've had.

• danny d

  
  emotionally draining, but in all the right ways, but way too serendipitous in all the wrong ways. i really enjoyed the film, and most of the performances were wonderful, but the way the protagonist sort of stumbles into resolution in the end despite his massive effort to figure… More
  emotionally draining, but in all the right ways, but way too serendipitous in all the wrong ways. i really enjoyed the film, and most of the performances were wonderful, but the way the protagonist sort of stumbles into resolution in the end despite his massive effort to figure things out the right way left me a bit disturbed. overall almost every performance was amazing, and the film really affected me as a father. at points i wanted to run home and hug my kids, or just sit and watch them sleep, as a film like this brings a person to the realization that there are so many things in life that are so much more important then most of what we waste our time doing. wonderful message, only decent execution, leading to a very good film that falls just shy of great.

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