Review: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Nominated for Best Picture at the 2012 Oscars, Stephen Daldry of Billy Elliot fame directs this film which is set at the time of the 9/11 World Trade Centre disaster in New York. 


Thomas Horn plays Oskar, a boy who has lost his adored father in what he calls “the worst day”. A year later he comes across an envelope with a key inside with the name ‘Black’ on it.

He presumes his father has left this for him, testing him, as he once did, to go out and discover what it may unlock. 
Thus, Oskar sets out on a mission that will hopefully help him let go of his dad.


Oskar is a child intelligent beyond his years, paranoid and socially inept. I found it hard to believe that a child his age could be that smart, articulate and scared of nearly everything and everyone.

I found his character annoying but I questioned if this was the purpose of Oskar. If so, then well done for being a very annoying kid. 


Casting American cinema sweethearts Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock as the parents should have added depth to this film but it doesn’t.

Bullock does a nice enough job with this role and Max von Sydow is a gem to see on screen but one gets the feeling that no one really connects with anyone else.

There is no effective emotion between the characters and, just like the plot, the characters lead nowhere.


What I did find interesting is the mission that Oskar takes in trying to find what the key unlocks. Along the way he meets a lot of people, with many stories, which gives it a humanistic quality. Everyone has a tale to tell, however, you don’t engage with them long enough to fully grasp their role in the film.


The cinematography of New York is quite nice, however, nothing else really makes this film special for me. I can see the intent with the story though unfortunately

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close ended up being extremely mediocre and incredibly disappointing.

I give it 1 out of 5. 



INFO: Kylan Luke-McKeen is the presenter and film reviewer for Kiss My Arts on JOY94.9 (Mondays 9-10pm). You can view his work and other film reviews at www.kylanmckeen.com


129mins

PG

Director: Stephen Daldry (The Hours, Billy Elliot)

Writer: Eric Roth
. Based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer

Distributor: Roadshow Films

Cast: Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, Max von Sydow, Viola Davis