Review of Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011) by Txrangersfan72 — 20 Jan 2012

Having seen the 49% critical rating on Rottentomatoes.com concerned me since the trailers for this film had me anxiously awaiting its release. I never read those reviews until after I see the film. Then, if I disagree, I go back and read what insight other critics had in the film that I didn't see.

9 times out of 10, it is because the critic doesn't like the translation of the written material from book to screenplay. That appears to be the case with "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." I haven't read the book, so aside from some small "Hollywoodisms," I can't see how anyone could hate this movie.

Thomas Horn's portrayal of Oskar is touching, heartwrenching, precious and incredibly real. I cringed a couple of times where it was clear that the story was being manipulated and, as a person who is known to cry at these kinds of things, I didn't.

I was moved by how "father-and-son" the story was. However, I wish I had received more than a "meh" from my 16 year-old who saw it with me. 9/11 is such a risky theme around which one would base a story, but, aside from the recon adventures and Asperger element of Oskar's character, I can imagine that the emotion and the time it took to let sink in the inexplicable and sudden horror that happened on that day had on families, especially children, of the victims as very close to reality.

The setting of New York City is a character in and of itself in the movie. As a lover of NYC, I strongly connected with every stop in his tour of the boroughs, seeking the answers he thought his father wanted him to find.

Overall, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" is worth the time and engagement, if for Thomas' performance alone. Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock are perfect to support Thomas without smothering his wonderful work.

And while it's hard to imagine Max von Sydow as anyone but Ming the Merciless in "Flash," his script-less role is stronger than most in other movies with 2 full hours of dialogue. The movie is precious from beginning to end.