Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011)

This seems to be really one of those cases of you'll either love this movie or completely, totally hate it. I personally really wasn't expecting much from this movie and knew very little about it as well but I was completely surprised and wowed by it. It's a really warm, heartfelt movie, filled with both adventure and drama.

Things could had so easily turned cheap and sappy in this movie but it really didn't. Instead the movie at all times felt like a real warm and honest one, with some great storytelling in it and no, I'm normally absolutely not a fan of Stephen Daldry's movies and directing approach. What I absolutely loved about this movie is that it's being told almost entirely from the eyes of a child, who has lost his father and is trying to cope with it by going on, what he thinks, is the one last adventure through the city of New York, that his father had planned for him.

Really, over the years we have had many adventure movies of course but how many of them successfully combined it with some true heartfelt drama in it as well. On that level this movie is already really an unique and original one, that works on so many different levels.

It seems that the only reason why some people have some major problems with this movie and are even offended by it is because its drama involves 9/11 and uses its events to emote its audience. And of course while they have a point about this, I didn't feel at all as if it was using it in a cheap or gimmicky way, to easily get emotions from its audience. The only one thing I will complain about was that it kept referencing a bit too much at it at times. Really, one mention of it could had sufficed but the movie instead kept using some flashbacks at times, which were still powerful but it got done 2 or 3 times too many in my opinion. Besides, there were times I even got confused by it and didn't always intermediately noticed that it was a flashback I was watching.

I was absolutely loving all of the characters in this movie and also really liked it that the movie had the guts to portray a little kid as a little kid for a change and not one with some fake emotions, feelings and thoughts. Everybody was a kid once, some much longer ago than others but I do believe everybody should be able to identify in one way or another with its main character, played by the young Thomas Horn, who made his acting debut with this movie. But the same more or less goes for all of the other characters as well, who got very well written and got played by some well known and great actors. This movie probably features both Tom Hanks' and Sandra Bullock's best performance of the past years and Max von Sydow, who never says a word in this movie, even got nominated for an Oscar for his role in this movie.

Really, this is one of the best 2011 movies I have seen and it also definitely ranks among my favorite ones as well.

8/10

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Fmovies: A fair warning before you step into this 9/11 drama based on the acclaimed novel by Johnathan Safran Foer- the protagonist, a nine-year- old boy living in New York City, isn't someone you'll embrace easily, even though the fact that he had lost his father in the Twin Towers should win much sympathy. Indeed, while we may accept a certain degree of immaturity from the kid due to his age, it's appalling to hear him say that his dad- whose body like the thousands who perished was never found- might just be 'dog faeces' in Central Park, or that he wished it was his mother who had lost her life instead.

Oskar Schell (played by newcomer Thomas Horn) is rather the abrasive kid who is both precocious and socially awkward- though test results on Asperger's syndrome turned out inconclusive. One year after that fateful day, Oskar steps inside his father's closet and finds a key inside an envelope with the name 'Black' scrawled on the front. Thinking that it might be one of his father, Thomas' (Tom Hanks), elaborate puzzles he used to concoct in order to force his son to interact with people, Oskar sets off on a personal quest to track down the source of the key.

Equipped with a backpack of essentials- including an Israeli gas mask, 'A Brief History of Time' by Stephen Hawkings, and a tambourine that he uses to calm himself amid the din and bustle of the city- Oskar traverses by foot through the five boroughs of New York knocking on the doors of everyone with the last name 'Black' he can locate in the phone book. Some of the people he meets include a married couple (Viola Davis and Jeffrey Wright) on the verge of divorce, a religious woman who offers up Oskar's mission to God, and a transsexual with a lifestyle too wild for Oskar's comfort- it takes all sorts to make the world, and if each of these attempts turn out futile, it at least fulfils his father's hope that Oskar will learn to be more sociable.

Each encounter is also an affirmation of the collective tragedy that was 9/11, as Oskar's story moves those he meets to concern and compassion be they survivors or mourners. The unanimous display of empathy is poignant, reaffirming humanity's ability to unite behind grief and loss. But screenwriter Eric Roth makes this journey as much about the mutual heroism of New Yorkers trying to make sense and come to terms with the senselessness and devastation as it is about an individual family's struggle to recover from the very disaster.

Just as affecting therefore is the examination of the effect that Thomas' death has on the dynamics of the family- the mother Linda (Sandra Bullock) coping with her husband's passing while trying her best to win the understanding and love of her son; and the grandmother (Zoe Caldwell) thrust into an uneasy position as Oskar's confidant even as he rebuffs his mother. Oskar also forms a connection with a certain mysterious Renter (Max von Sydow) living in his grandmother's apartment, whose willingness to accompany Oskar on his trips belies a painful secret and a deeper personal motivation.

No stranger to heavy-handed dramas, director Stephen Daldry (his fourth feature after the critically acclaimed 'Billy Elliot', 'The Hours' and 'The Reader') handles the potentially histrionic proceedings with surprising deftness. Especially heartrending is Linda's predicament- a scene where she breaks down from hearing Oskar say the words 'I love you' just outside

I found the main character very annoying at times. However, over time, this movie had enough touching moments that felt real and were gagné that in the end it was reasonably enjoyable.

The best parts were the emotionally intense scenes of which there were several. The subject matter automatically lead in that direction. What was important was that they were handled well and weren't too obvious or sappy or preachy, IMO. I don't normally cry during movies and I didn't, but I can see how someone could and there's something healing in that. There doesn't need to be any explanation for a situation for us to learn from it. Simply seeing other people deeply affected by disturbing things can make you feel less alone and give you faith in humanity.

People can argue and say nasty words and yet somehow communicate love at the same time through their body language. That brutal honesty that hurts the most usually comes from a very kind, sensitive place. It's interesting the kind of guilt we're capable of putting upon ourselves. The desperate fear that you're not a good person, that you failed somehow. You can relate to these characters and the way they feel. Death is one of those things that can be scary but which we often completely forget about. It's nice to have a primal emotion or fear brought alive by a movie in the right way.

Now some major weaknesses. The plot is stupidly ridiculous. Much of it is technically possible but doesn't hold up well to inspection. It's too cute and "clever". I hate when characters go out on misguided missions without thinking them through. It's been done. It's far more interesting to have intelligent characters who run into legitimate or unexpected barriers than simply allowing them to forget all logic at the outset. The plot involves arbitrary devices for creating interesting situations rather than letting logical actions by the characters naturally take them somewhere interesting. It's like bad magic where you can see it all a mile away and there are no surprises.

The boy's obnoxious and rude comportement were extreme and distracting at times. He was unlikable for long stretches. I can understand it in the context of him being deeply affected or lost or trying to cope with things, but it was still too much and the movie implied he was like that anyway because there was no contrast with his comportement before the events. Sounds like the book is much better in this regard. But it did affect me. Brought a little something out of me. Which can be rare considering how predictable I find the majority of new movies.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close fmovies. I had the privilege of being invited to a screening today and was completely blown away by this movie! Forget the big name stars in this - except the extraordinary Viola Davis who is brilliant in whatever she does. This movie totally hinges on young Thomas Horn, whose performance took my breath away. Yes, I teared up at several moments, but the movie does not stoop to the over-wrought sentimentality that a movie like "War Horse" does. Instead, it takes you on an incredible journey and this young actor so embodies the lead, every emotion, every challenge. I think it really honors 9/11 in the same way that "Reign on Me" did. I am thankful I took the time out in the middle of a work day to go to the screening. I hope this movie does well because it sure made my day. Now I really want to read the book!

This movie is a difficult one to review. At times during the film, you are thinking it's terrible, other times, it's touching, at others, inspiring. There is so much tragedy here and so much that is hopeful. I will say this, when the movie closed and the lights came up, I just sat there, thinking about things I'd seen, things I still wondered about, scenes that were perfect and those that weren't, questions that were answered and those not quite enough. Over all, I'd say I'm glad I watched this one. I can't say it's one I'm going to want to buy. It was interesting that of the four of us who went together to see this picture, all had different parts that affected us the most. For many of us, bringing ourselves to watch anything that had to do with 9/11 is still too painful to really be excited about. It's still too freshly seared into our minds. Maybe always will be. This one, at least, didn't slam the viewer over the head with too many visual detailsÂ….there were as many as had to be, to present the movie. I think this is one you should see if only to decide for yourself what feelings you are left with. Excellent casting by the way.

Although the main character is a young boy, it is not a children movie, and cannot be recommended to all families either... This boy has teenage emotions and adult attitudes, and most of his deeds or conceptions cannot be considered as examples for "normal" families. And how to distinct stubbornness from persistence? The plot - having a tragic/sad background - is rather uneven and some unrealistic moments (e.g. mother's assistance in searching), with trivial pre-ending and expected ending. However, the movie contains 2 excellent (Thomas Horn and Max von Sydow) and at least 4 great performances (Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, John Goodman, Viola Davis). Thanks to them, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is pleasant to watch, but I am unable to explain why I had a kind of internal discontent when the credits appeared... Perhaps too vast scrutinizing with general human topics? Still, this movie is for you if you search something different.