GENERAL FEATURES
Review: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
A strong central performance makes Stephen Daldry's latest film a must see, says Eleanor McGuane.
Even after more than a decade, 9/11 has become a staple theme underpinning American film. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is one of many movies based in the aftermath of the attacks, and tells the story of a boy dealing with losing a loved one to the tragedy. It's an unusual perspective, as everything is seen from the point of view of the child, but the change makes this film unique and worth seeing.
Directed by Stephen Daldry (The Hours) and written by Eric Roth (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), the film is based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Jonathan Safran Foer. It revolves around Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn) whose father is killed in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre. A year after his death, Oskar finds an envelope containing a key in his father's closet. He resolves to find the lock the key fits in order to prolong the time left before he realises his father is really gone. When he finds the name ‘Black' written on the envelope, he decides to visit all 472 people in New York that share the surname, to find out if one of them knew his father.
Horn, a child with no previous acting experience, portrays the character of Oskar Schell incredibly well. Oskar seems to have a condition similar to Aspergers, which makes him insensitive to other people's emotions and unable to think in the way a boy his age
usually would. As Horn's character carries the entire story, it's a large responsibility he's been given. Despite this, he performs the role brilliantly, combining a lack of social understanding with an extensive vocabulary.
Tom Hanks plays the lost father, filling the role flawlessly through his close interaction with Horn and intense shows of emotion, while Sandra Bullock turns in a solid performance as the grieving widow, with a wide range of well-known supporting actors turning up, including Max von Sydow and John Goodman.
The film as is an emotional whirlwind. Its characters, although less relatable than the average film heroes, are enjoyable to spend the film's 129 minutes with. There's a great sense of growth from start to finish and by the end of the film, it seems like they have actually learned how to deal with their grief.
Highly recommended.