Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Plot synopsis:
The film begins with a body that seems to be falling from the sky, referencing jumpers from the World Trade Center on September 11. Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn) is introduced as the son of German American Thomas Schell (Tom Hanks). At Thomas' funeral Oskar complains that the coffin does not make sense, since it is empty.In a flashback Thomas and Oskar play a scavenger hunt that gives Oskar the task of finding ordinary objects throughout New York City. The scavenger hunt begins at a swing set in Central Park, where Thomas recalls swinging when he was a child, and demonstrates the fun of jumping off. Oskar, however, is scared of swings, even without jumping off. The games require communication with other people, providing practice for Oskar. They are not too easy: "if things were easy to find, they wouldn't be worth finding".On September 11, Oskar is let out of school early while his mother Linda (Sandra Bullock) is at work. When Oskar gets home, he finds five messages on the answering machine from his father, saying that he is in the World Trade Center on the 105th floor of the North Tower. Oskar soon learns of the Twin Towers attack by seeing footage on the TV news, and hides underneath his bed. When Thomas calls for the sixth time Oskar hears the phone ringing, but he is too scared to pick it up. The machine records a sixth message, which stops when the building collapses, and Oskar knows that his father has been killed. He never tells his mother about the calls, and replaces the answering machine by an identical one secretly so that his mother will never find out.A few weeks after what Oscar calls "the worst day", he confides in his German grandmother and they become close throughout their time of depression following Thomas's death. Oskar's relationship worsens with his mother since she can't explain why the World Trade Center was attacked and why his father died. Oskar tells his mother he wishes it had been her in the building rather than his father, and she responds, "So do I.", after which Oskar says he did not mean it, but his mother answers that he did.A year later, as Oskar explores his father's closet, he knocks over a blue vase and inside it finds a key in an envelope that is labeled with the word "Black". He ponders whether the key was left to him or his mother, but he vows to find what the key fits. When he looks up the name "Black" in the New York phone book and sees that there are about 216 addresses, or 472 people with the last name Black, Oskar vows to meet each of them to see if they knew his father. One day, Oskar realizes that a man has moved in with his grandmother. Oskar's grandmother tells him that the man is a stranger.When Oskar visits the first "Black", he meets Abby Black (Viola Davis), who has recently divorced her husband. She tells Oskar that she didn't know his father. When Oskar goes looking for his grandmother one day, he stumbles upon the stranger (Max Von Sydow) who does not talk because of his childhood trauma of his parents' death in the World War II bombing of Dresden, and communicates with written notes and his hands with "yes" and "no" written on them. As they become friends and go together on the hunt to find what the key fits, Oskar learns to face his fears, such as those of public transport and bridges.As their search continues, Oskar becomes discouraged and wants to stop until he notices that the stranger is like his father and concludes that the stranger is his grandfather. Oskar plays the answering machine messages for the stranger, despite the stranger's discomfort. Before playing the sixth and last message, the stranger cannot bear listening any longer, and stops Oskar. Later on, the stranger moves out and tells Oskar not to search anymore, leaving Oskar to conclude that the man is indeed his grandfather. Eventually, when Oskar looks at a newspaper clipping that his father gave him, circling the words "notstop looking" in an article, he turns over the clipping and finds a phone number that is circled. He dials the number and reaches Abby, whom he met earlier and who now wants to take Oskar to her ex-husband, who may know about the key. When Oskar meets Abby's ex-husband, William, (Jeffrey Wright), it is revealed that William had been looking for the key for a long time. William had sold the vase to Oskar's father, who intended to give it to his wife as an anniversary gift. Thomas never knew that a key was in the vase. William's father left the key inside, and it fits a deposit box at a bank, where William's father left something unknown for him. Disappointed that the key does not belong to him, Oskar goes home angry and sad, not interested in the contents of the box.After Oskar destroys everything that had to do with the search for the lost key, his mother reveals that she knew Oskar was contacting all the Blacks in New York City. After the first few visits she visited every Black that he would meet and informed them that Oskar was going to visit and why. In response, the people Oskar met knew ahead of time why he was coming and usually treated him in a friendly manner. Oskar then makes a scrapbook of his scavenger hunt and all the people he met along the way and entitles it "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." At the end of the scrapbook there is an animation where the body that was falling in the beginning is falling up instead of down, as if time is reversing.

Tags: tragedy, sentimental, flashback

Review:
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).
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.
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.
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 http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/.
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.
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.
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 the main door after he leaves in a huff is particularly touching; while a plot twist late into the movie that shows the extent of a mother's love for her son will leave only the hardest of hearts unmoved.
Bullock is uncharacteristically low-key but very effective in the role, her heartbreak keenly felt through her grimaces and tears.Daldry also gets an excellent performance from von Sydow- with wordless shrugs and sighs, he effortlessly conveys his character's troubled past, one so traumatising that he has chosen to remain silent and relate to others with a simple 'yes' on one palm and 'no' on the other.
And at the heart of it all is Thomas Horn's mesmerising turn, the 'Kids Jeopardy' winner utterly captivating as the bright but socially inept kid trying desperately to cling onto the one thing that he thinks will help him remain connected to his deceased father.Appropriately then, the film has been nominated for Best Picture honours- though amongst the nine nominees this year, this is probably the lowest rated overall by critics.
Why then, is it so challenging to watch 9-year-old Oskar (Thomas Horn), whose father (Tom Hanks) dies in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, endure this all-too-familiar pain?
Considering we are forced to follow and identify with a 9-year-old with Asperger's and probably some form of autism, understanding and relating to this character is crucial, yet maddeningly difficult.Understandably through no fault of his own, Oskar treats his mother (Sandra Bullock) poorly, swears at his apartment building doorman (John Goodman), throws temper tantrums, lies and despite his curiosity and adventurous spirit, uses deduction in place of logic.
He's a nightmare of a main character, and his constant relapses as the film flashes back to 9/11 butt in every time you start to warm up to him.Director Stephen Daldry has experience working with troubled boys ("Billy Elliot"), but he doesn't appear to do enough to help us sympathize, which could be the result of roadblocks in the script.
If you had to nominate "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" for an Academy Award, it would be for von Sydow, so in that sense perhaps he deserves recognition.All the colorful characters you would expect Oskar to meet as he tries to find every single person with the last name Black living in New York City exist in voice-over snippets.
From a quick outside glance, the story would likely be about a child going on an adventure expecting to find a meaningful answer and learning that the journey was the entire point, but it somehow ends up way more convoluted."Extremely Loud's" Best Picture nomination is extremely unwarranted.
Certainly some people will connect with a moment or two and really appreciate the film's emotional fearlessness, but anyone versed in Oscar- caliber drama knows this doesn't fit the bill despite all the venerated talent that put this movie on Oscar radars everywhere when it first came together.Maybe it's that abundant talent that makes the film's shortcomings all the more difficult to bear, but the more you think about it, the more you realize this kind of a perspective on September 11 — from the eyes of such a challenging protagonist — probably doomed it from the start.
Extremely Long & Incredibly Bad. I'd like to start with what I liked about this movie, but the only thing I can think of is that it was nice to see the streets of New York, though Google Earth would have been a more pleasant way to do it.How can a movie with Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock possibly be bad?
No kid would do what this kid did, and no mother would allow it for a billion and one reasons, much less do what this mother did.This movie tried so hard to tug at your emotions but the only parts that did were the few bits the writer didn't have to make up because they actually happened that day.Audience members are supposed to watch a drama and say to themselves, "Yeah, life's like that," on some level.
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.
I thought that the child actor playing Oskar was wonderful in this breakout role; he carried the movie quite well, almost singlehandedly-- except for those scenes with Max Von Sydow's silent character, The Renter.
When watching a movie filed under the 'Drama' category, an absolute prerequisite is for the audience to feel endearment towards the main character(s), if that connection is not achieved then you end up with an extremely bored audience.
This movie goes one step further, in the opposite direction, rather than endearment you feel the overwhelming "want to get up and slap the little brat" emotion.This movie attempts to pull at the heart string of the audience but it's all too "hollywood" with the usual, run of the mill, melodrama that becomes very transparent.I watched this film with my wife and we both hated it..
Adapted from a novel; Eric Roth (Forrest Gump) pens a screenplay that solely aims to evoke emotional tension using 9/11 as the story's premise.Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close focuses on Oskar (Thomas Horn); an irritatingly prim boy with suggested Asperger's syndrome, which proves a defining element in both character and plot, as the youngster struggles to accept the death of his father played by Tom Hanks.
Discovering a key and a cryptic clue in his dad's closet, Oskar embarks on a mission to uncover the location of the lock, in the hope of seeking closure to his painful suffering.The biggest problem here is a combination of two things: firstly using 9/11 as a basis for a film is not unusual (see World Trade Centre et al), but rather than as a mere backdrop, it explicitly tries to evoke horrendous memories relating to that day, rather than create an independent story.
A talented actor, having been in some excellent movies over the decades; his inclusion as an ageing German mute doesn't lift the film to a newer or more respectable height, as his character proves terribly gimmicky and ultimately irrelevant in the scheme of the plot, too.VERDICT: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is awfully crass at times as it goes straight for the jugular at every opportune moment.
If you don't like it, well, the score explains it.Nevertheless, Thomas Horn (Oskar) becomes the star of the movie the moment the film begins, and he learns and reflects through his adventure, till the very end of the movie when he realizes the truth and the message from his father.
this little boy is just simply amazing, you never see films like this, i don't know how many times i shook my head in amazement at this movie...
Performances by Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, Viola Davis and Max Von Sydow are good but honestly still writing this review about this movie is making me furious.
Very emotional story about a young boy traveling to find a message his dad left him shortly after he died in the World Trade Center towers collapsing on 9/11.I predict this movie will be up for some awards.
Watching this felt like a chore and that's never good.I think the film lost me in the first half as I found the child actor to be very annoying and pompous (even considering the fact he lost his father, it was still really over the top).
Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock are wasted in this film, talk about just showing up, doing a few scenes and taking a pay check while thinking you are in line for a nomination of some kind.
It's about a boy whose father dies, his journeys, and a remarkable family including Max van Sydow as the unforgettable grandfather.For at least the first half hour, I wasn't sure the film was working.
He then starts a quest to look for the lock that this key would fit and goes on to meet numerous people of all cast and creed who have gone through or are going through sadness just like him establishing the fact that he is not alone in his suffering and gives him strength to go on with life.The movie is so well written and enacted by the kid and its cast that you can't find a fault with it.
After seeing a young boy mourn his father's death and goes on a life-changing adventure in "Hugo", we now have a similar story, based on the novel of the same, with Stephen Daldry's 9/11 dramatic tale, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close".
Thomas Horn plays a nine-year-old autistic child, whose father, portrayed by Tom Hanks, has always been a life-long friend to him, spending hours and hours together on explorations and projects, so they were really close.
"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" may have it's negative aspects, but this is still a beautiful film that only smart directing, great acting, and a wonderful script can be accomplished.
The main character Oskar, was a great actor he put so much emotion into the movie and made you feel the same way or like you were in the same situation.
I kept wondering if the boy got beat up a lot at school because he was so terribly unrealistic and strange even for a character, but never mind that because apparently school is out and even though everyone asks why he isn't in school, his lame excuses are apparently enough for both the people asking and the school board who must surely be marking his name full of absences.And while the child and his father were nuts enough; strange apparently runs in the family, with his grandmother talking on a walkie-talkie to her grandson whenever they please (apparently whoever wrote the story does not know how quickly batteries run out of walkie-talkies that or the boy has calculated every second that he must change them.
6.4 is an absolute joke, what were half of these people watching????This film is awesome, the acting, particularly by the boy, is superb, and so believable, and the story is so, so, so emotional.
The film tells the story of Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn), a nine-year old boy whose father is killed on September 11th and embarks upon a quest to find the lock to a key found in his father's pocket.
As much needed balance to an otherwise heavy, emotional film, Von Sydow uses his most effective tools in his acting arsenal to convey a character that is easily written off as mute but feels like he's screaming off the paper's he writes on.
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close was an outstanding film that highlighted the pain, suffering, and anxiety of a young boy who lost his father and struggles to keep his memory alive.
Viewers can easily relate to the wide range of emotions felt by the character.Thomas Horn is outstanding as the young boy, who feels alone in the world after the loss of his father on 9/11.
Tom Hanks is very good as his beloved father, Sandra Bullock does great as a mother who struggles to relate to her unique son, and Max von Snydow is wonderful as "The Renter" who doesn't speak but befriends the young boy on his quest.The director does an outstanding job of moving through a dual story of the young boy's current quest and the unveiling of the events of 9/11, which haunt the young boy as the "Worst Day".
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close was an outstanding film that should win many awards for the director, actor, and movie.
Even though the film is quite long, it held my attention throughout the 2 hour and 9 minute runtime.Thomas Horn as 9 year Oskar Schell is really the main actor in the movie and he does a fantastic job, but he has just about the best supporting cast you could ask for.
However, the main character "Oskar" is extremely annoying.In fact, the movie should be renamed "Extremely Annoying and Incredibly Long".Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock's characters are wonderful.
I loved the trailer.I got my popcorn, my soda, and was SUPER excited to watch this 'Nominated for two Oscars' movie with great actors such as Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock...
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011) ** (out of 4) A nine-year-old boy (Thomas Horn) travels across New York after his father (Tom Hanks) dies in the World Trade Center on 9/11.
The Stephan Daldry movie starring Thomas Horn as Oskar Schell, who was the main character that went on a door to door journey to find what his key unlocked and could tell him more about his father.
Although Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock get their moments in, Hanks via flashback, this film is really about young Thomas Horn and his search to find some meaning in his father's death in the World Trade Center.
He never learned to move on the way Thomas Horn has to.Extremely Loud&Incredibly Close also got an Oscar nomination for Best Picture in 2011 but lost to the artist.