Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a daring film that tells a story so personal to a lot of people that they may refuse to like it just on this basis. But for those who can get past the controversial subject at hand, this can be a thoroughly entertaining, heartfelt work of art.

Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn) is an awkward child whose father Thomas (Tom Hanks) has just died in the September 11 attacks. His father always liked to plan out games for his son in order to teach him how to appreciate his life more, and after his death Oskar believes his father has set out one last adventure for him. With the help of an elderly man (Max von Sydow), he goes forth into New York City to find what can be unlocked by a mysterious key.

I think we are to a point now where movies about September 11 are easier to swallow. The thing is that you have to be respectable and not use it as some sort of gimmick to force emotion in your movie *cough* Remember Me *cough*. This is one of those movies that not only uses it respectably but uses it in a very human way. It’s not a story about September 11 but rather a story about a young boy dealing with the loss of his father. The way he goes about this brings him to new places and allows him to meet new people, all of whom were affected by the towers coming down. And it’s just a really great story about this bizarre child having to deal with all of his problems and feeling as if there’s nobody in the world who can possibly help him.

Thomas Horn is a phenomenal young actor who definitely has a big career ahead of him. I’d love to see him in something much more lighthearted to see just how good he really is, but for this movie he was perfect. He delivers his lines in an inhuman manner that suits his character well, but when he does begin to act human you can really feel that vulnerability. He plays brilliantly off of Sandra Bullock, who plays Oskar’s mother Linda. The two have multiple touching scenes with some really great, memorable moments throughout. Max von Sydow isn’t given a whole lot to do, but he makes his character likable and understandable, even without saying a single word throughout the film. And then of course there’s Tom Hanks, who gets the least amount of screen time and yet gives probably one of the best performances of his life. When you learn more about those final moments in his character’s life, you begin to miss him just as much as the characters do. The film creates a realistic emotional bond between the characters that works great.

I’m not exactly sure how wide of a release this is getting, but it’s one that you should definitely see the moment you can. I can totally understand if this is still too strong an issue to deal with in a film for you, but if it’s not then I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Final Verdict: